Endurance
by DarkOne09
Summary: (Sequel to Break Free) Three years had passed since Maria had seen Za'taan but doesn't give up hope as she is forced to live in a harsh reality. But when her captors offer a deal that could reunite them but also risk breaking their bond, Maria must choose between her desire to see Za'taan again or her refusal that could mean a difference between life and death.
1. Chapter 1 (Prison)

Chapter 1: Prison

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

The white walls that make up the place hurt Maria's eyes no matter where or what she was doing. The only solace she had was the bar window that looks out into the beautiful sky that she has come to admire. But on this day, it was dark and cloudy with the rain pounding on the facility that she was held in. She sits on her chair that is separated from the other prisoners that are allowed to roam the open compound that it allows, rubbing her thin wrists that itch from the white, medical garb that they threw on her when she first arrived. She didn't like it. It was disgusting and she would love nothing more than to rip it apart with her own bare hands and show them that it's just fucking trash. But then she would be left with no clothes on and the embarrassment from it prevented her from doing so.

The moaning noises from behind take her attention away from the window, looking back at an elderly man in the same garb that was walking as if he was in another dimension . . . or drunk. His eyes were unfocused as he kept walking around like a zombie while Maria just watched in her chair. He started to mumble out some things but then turned his attention to her. For once, his eyes found something to focus on but Maria didn't like it. The man stumbles towards her as Maria scoots her chair closer to the window. But it didn't stop the elderly man as he started speaking out more nonsense.

"Young lady . . . what has done . . . you to . . . get here?"

She could barely make any sense from his words. What has she done? Why does he want to know? Maria moved back, even more, dragging the chair until it hits the wall. The old man comes closer . . . and closer . . . until he reaches out for her, grabbing part of her garb by the sleeve as he pulls her closer to his face.

"You know . . ."

His eyes widened a bit before he starts to cackle. It starts off slow until it gets louder and more annoying to Maria. Eventually, she watches him turn from a zombie-like state to a psychopath tantrum.

"You are . . . with aliens! Hahaha! You . . . from . . . outer space. The crazy . . . lunatic . . . son of a . . . bitch! Hahaha!"

When he said those words, Maria's anger got the best of her as it grew inside like wildfire. She couldn't hold it in anymore. She maneuvers her hands to twist around his arms, placing her hands on his chest and using all her might to push him away from her. The force she exerts on him causes the old man to hit the nearby wall. He screams like a little girl but Maria wasn't done with him yet. She had nothing to vent her anger on except for him who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Pushing her body with the little energy she had, she stomps over to the old man who had fallen down to the ground and picks him up by the neck of his garb. Once he was on his unstable feet, she pulls back her fist and slams it hard on his face, breaking teeth as she watches him spit them out. He drops to the floor, spitting out blood as well but she wasn't done with him yet. She pulls him back up as she studies his bloody face, screaming with all her might.

"Shut the fuck up!"

Again, Maria drives her fist into his face again. And then does it a third time . . . and then another . . . and another. When she sees his face all bloodied up, she throws him down on the ground and proceeds to kick him in the stomach repeatedly, hearing him moan and cry out in pain. Despite his pleas, Maria keeps on going with her assault on him, driven by anger that was growing out of control.

Ever since she came to this horrid place, many of the others in this facility called her crazy, believing that she was somehow abducted by aliens and that they had turned her mind against the human race to destroy them. From day one, Maria had been isolated as an outcast, mocked by others but it wasn't what made her angry. It's the feeling that they are indirectly attacking all those she had come to love. To watch as they do as they please, hurting all her friends and loved ones that have sacrificed themselves for her. It drove her close to insanity in some cases.

She keeps pounding hard on the elderly man multiple times, even as she saw bruises starting to form on his face and hands from trying to block her attacks. But just as she was about to finish with him, shouts and screams echoed through the halls, alerting Maria that the guards were coming. But her mind kept her from running off as she knows it was useless. There was nowhere to go out of this prison.

And like a swarm of bees, several guards grabbed her arms and shoulders, pulling her off of the defenseless man on the ground. Maria tries to fight them off, swinging her fist in every direction as to get a hit on one of them. However, one of the guards grabs her wrists, pulls them behind her back and places handcuffs on her, restraining her even more. Adrenaline keeps pumping through her as she screams and spits at them, resorting to biting one of the guards when his hand got too close to her. He yelps in pain and in retaliation, one guard takes out his stick and whacks her hard in the stomach.

This sends a jolt of pain everywhere and she doubles over on her knees. Her body threatening to vomit every little thing she had in her stomach, even if it contained almost no food. She gasped for breath as the guards surrounded her to make sure she didn't try anything. After some time, she heard heavy footsteps that sounded like combat boots and Maria knew who was coming. She lifts her head up just enough to see a male soldier pushing through the circle of guards until he stops just in front of her. She glares at the man as he smirks down on her like he had won, crossing his hands in the process.

"This again? Haven't you had enough?"

Maria keeps her focus on him as she begins to growl like a wild animal.

"Sergeant Wilson . . ."

He smiles evilly at her and bends down to get a closer look at her. She tries to move away but her strength was diminishing at every second so all she could do as watch as his eyes studied her.

"You know you can stop this. All you gotta do is talk and that's all. How important is your alien lover anyway that would make you turn on your own kind?"

She didn't like how he talked about Za'taan that way. She couldn't move through to punch him but she had one last trick up her sleeve. She gathers up all the saliva in her mouth and when she had enough, moves her head back to get leverage and then spits right into his face. She flinches back, standing back on his feet as he wipes the spit off of him as she screams.

"Fuck you!"

As soon as he cleans himself up with the aid of the kleenex from one of the guards, he glares down at him for a bit before composing himself back to what he looked like before. He sighs as he glanced down on Maria.

"Alright. You asked for it."

He turns to one of the guards on his side and nods his head to him while giving him orders.

"Take her to the isolation cell. Makes sure she's really comfortable. She'll be in there for a while."

And with that, one the guards come up to her, grabbing one of her restrained arms as she is pulled up on her feet. However, Maria struggles out of his grip, falling back down on her knees as the other guards go for her as well. Maria put up a huge fight as she kicked and bite several guards before she feels a sharp point of a syringe go into the side of her neck. She tries to tear it off but the drugs that they put in her were taking immediate effect on her. Her vision becomes blurred and she could barely keep conscious. She tries again to shake off the guards but her body refuses to respond.

After only a few minutes, she slumps in their arms as the last thing she sees before going unconscious was Sergeant Wilson, chuckling with a gleam in his eye.

In the darkness, Maria couldn't help but look back on how she ended up here in the first place, wondering if this was her fate, to begin with.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[3 years ago]

Maria feels herself drift back and forth between consciousness and the abyss that threatens to swallow her up. Her head sways as she begins to regain her senses from her long sleep. When she gets a hold on herself, she slowly opens her eyes to a dark room that is only lit by a small window high up on the wall and far beyond her reach. She kept blinking her eyes slowly to get them working again and sure enough, her vision clears just enough to see the dark details of the walls. Scratches covered every part of it and she wonders if it was used for something more sinister.

"So you're finally awake."

The unknown voice jolts her body a little to start functioning more as she faces forward to see a figure of a man dressed in some fancy suit sitting across from her with a table between them. However, the shadow covered his face so she couldn't see who it was that was talking. It only then did she see another man standing behind him with a black mask covering his face as well. But it was obvious to Maria that it was a soldier since he had armor all over his chest along with holding a large rifle in his hands. She turns away and tries to move but it's when she notices her hands and legs were bound to the chair she was sitting on. She looks back at the unknown figure who leans over on his elbows with his fingers folded on each other.

"Nice for you to come around. You're Maria, correct?"

Her eyes widened a bit but she was still groggy to feel the full shock that she was experiencing. She takes a deep breath and swallows before speaking.

"How . . . do you know . . . my name?"

Her voice was still trying to work but it was enough to get her point across. The unknown figure leans back on his chair and looks over to the soldier who comes right next to him, placing a thick bunch of papers that was big as her arm. The figure flips it open and shuffles through it while talking.

"We've looked through your files a little bit and it's quite interesting. You are the daughter of Diego and Sophia Perez who resided in Spain. Supposively engaged to Juan Sanchez who owns businesses in the wine industry. You were to be married a few weeks ago but suddenly disappeared without a trace."

He stops flipping through the papers and looks up at Maria. She glares at the man, feeling that he is nothing but trouble so her body stiffens when she could see his head turn to her.

"But that's not what really happened."

Maria watches as the man flips the bundle close and pushes it to the side of the table. Once he did that, the man leans forward like before, crossing his fingers on each other while some kept tapping on one another, like he was thinking during their conversation.

"Official reports state that you were kidnapped and killed by terrorists but that's only the cover-up. We know that something more 'foreign' was involved. Can you explain this to us?"

Silence echoes in the small, dark room between Maria and the unknown figure in front of her. She glances at the soldiers, noticing how he began to grip his rifle a little more as if he was waiting for something. Maria looks back at the unknown man and faces him head on, leaning a little as much as her bonds would allow.

"I don't know anything."

The unknown man taps his fingers a little more, clearly a sign of frustration to Maria but she stays put with her words. The man stops his tapping and leans a little closer to her.

"Don't try to lie. We've seen the bodies littered everywhere where we found you. Those black creatures you saw . . . you know what they are."

He pauses for a moment as Maria thinks of who this man was. He was no stranger to the _kainde amedha_ and she can tell that he wasn't fazed by the discovery of those things. Whoever this man was, he knows as much as she does. Or maybe even more . . .

She clears her throat again, feeling a scratchy sensation at the back of it but she continues on.

"Sounds like you know what they already are so why bother telling you?"

The man starts to grunt a little and Maria knows he's getting impatient but surprised a little when he keeps his cool a little more, tapping his annoying fingers once more.

"True but they are not the only things that were out there. We found traces of humanoid aliens that were hunting them a little while ago and then disappeared. These beings . . . we know them as Predators."

She tenses a little bit when the man mentions the Yautja brothers she had met. This man was talking about them and Maria didn't know why this man was interested in them. She decides not to say anything about them but realizes that she may have already done as she sees the man react to her body language and begins to chuckle.

"So you do know them. I mean . . . they not only allowed you to live but also accepted you as one of them. The mark on your cheek proves that."

When he mentions that moment when Za'taan marked her with his clan's symbol, Maria tenses once more. Her anger begins to boil her blood, making her bounds tighten harder on her wrists and ankles. The man chuckles again and straightens himself up in his chair, coughing to clear his throat up.

"But you have gone past that as well. We've checked your body and found some fluid that belongs to one of them. I can assume that you fucked with one. Didn't you?"

That did it for Maria. This man was talking about her and Za'taan's relationship like it was a marvel to him. She hated that he spoke about him and that it was something private between them. She starts to thrash in her seat, making her chair rock back and forth to the point that it was going to topple over with her. The man signals the soldier to keep Maria in her place. The soldier roughly grabs her shoulders and pins her hard on the chair, keeping her steady as she screams at the man.

"Fuck you!"

She thrashes once more and before she could react, the soldier swings his hand across her face, slapping it hard enough that her neck pops a little from the fast motion. Maria takes a break for a moment, trying to adjust to the searing pain on her cheek until she looks back at the unknown figure before her.

"Feisty aren't you? Don't worry, Maria. We promise to let you go free . . . if you tell us the location of the Predators that you were with. All you gotta do is tell us and this will be over."

The man leans on the table again, putting his palms flat on it while tapping his fingers again. Maria swears that she was going insane just from hearing his fingers tap like that. If she had it her way, she would have ripped them off from the beginning of her talk with him. Still, she couldn't do anything with being bound in a chair along with a soldier keeping her still. She closes her eyes a minute and lets herself remember the times with Za'taan, I'stih, and Ya'stu. She misses them so much but it gives her the necessary fuel to keep her strong during this difficult time. She could easily break down without their help and she is resolved to stay that way . . . no matter what.

She opens her eyes once more and leans a little to the unknown figure, glaring with all the hatred in her before hissing her words to him.

"I won't tell you shit. You can do whatever you want with me. But no matter what . . . all you're getting from me is nothing, you motherfucker!"

Maria screams the last of her words at him, causing the man to slam his fist on the table as he stood up from his seat. He takes a moment of silence as he takes deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. She watches as his body relaxes and then moves from his seat, walking around the table until he reaches to her side. The shadow still keeps his face hidden but then he leans down and the light shine on him, revealing his face to Maria for the first time.

Maria could see that he was somewhere in his mid-fifties since she saw his hair had some strands of grey in it. His pale, green eyes looked deep into her brown ones while he smirked at her, making chills go down Maria's spine. He moves away from her until he speaks out.

"On, you will tell us about them sooner or later. We have lots of time to spare."

He turns to the soldier holding Maria and nods. Maria was quickly unbound from the chair but still restrained by the bounds on her. The soldier pulls her up on her feet as the man comes face to face with her. She growls deep in her throat as the man leans into her face once more.

"I hope you enjoy your stay in the asylum. Maybe it will teach you a valuable lesson in complying with those that can easily take your life away. Enjoy."

He waves his hand to the soldier, giving him the signal to pull Maria backward as she hears a door opening behind. She screams at the man once more, using all of her might to curse at him.

"You fucking asshole! Who are you!?"

The man puts his hand up to stop the soldier from taking her out of the room. The man puts his hands behind his back and takes a few steps forward before stopping just a few feet in front of her. He takes a small, deep breath before he lets her know.

"Just be glad that I spared your life. If it was up to my men, you would already be dead before you set foot in our facility."

Then, the door behind me opens and I could just turn my head around to see another soldier coming into the small room. The man looks behind me and smiles, nodding to the soldier that just came in.

"Take her to Sergeant Wilson. I'm sure that he will take great care in our new 'patient' that will be coming in. That is all."

With that, the soldier that held Maria dragged her from the table and into the arms of the other soldier. Maria struggled with all her might, trying to at least break free from their hold but with her body still feeling the effects of the drug, the soldiers easily restrained her as she is pulled out of the office. She screams at the man one last time.

"Let me go!"

But her cries fall on deaf ears as she felt a whack to the back of her head, causing her to fall into the dark abyss one more time.

. . . . . . . . .

[Present]

Maria's eyes shoot right open, seeing that same room that she was all too familiar now. The room was basically a cold, metal prison with one small window to provide air and light but the only thing it does is make the room colder and the moon was the only source of light that the window provided. She gets up quickly from her hard bed that had a pillow as her only comfort. The room was a lot smaller than the others she has been, although she can't quite remember. All of her routines became so blurred together after three years in the facility, she can barely count the days that she has been in isolation. The cuffs on her were gone but the sting was still on her ankles and wrists that they left behind.

She rubs her head a little until she blinked a couple of times to get her eyesight back. However, the grogginess from the drug's effects was a pain in the neck to Maria despite having been drugged one too many times with it. It still made her headaches worse but she had to be glad that the effects were as prolonged as the first time.

When she finally has enough strength to move, Maria sits up on the bed, crossing her legs together while looking down at her fingers. They were covered in scratches and thin as bones like the rest of her body. She refused to eat from them and it got to the point that they force-fed in order to keep her alive. Eventually, she stopped fighting like that, believing that she needs to keep some of her strength in case she has a chance of escape. But after three years, she was starting to give up hope.

The only thing that keeps her going is the memories of her friends and loved ones. Maria worries for Ana as she hasn't seen her since they were captured. In some part of her mind, she hopes that Ana made it out by some miracle but another part told her otherwise.

After that, she remembers I'stih and Ya'stu in their final moments, hoping for her to live her life to the fullest. The day when I'stih sacrificed himself to allow them to escape while Ya'stu did the same for his brother, wanting Maria to be happy. She smiles, believing that they are watching her from the stars, making sure she was alright.

And then, she remembers Za'taan . . .

Oh . . . those precious times with him. She still remembers his fresh scent of cinnamon that was all over his body . . . the softness of his skin on hers . . . his tongue battling with hers and . . . the brightness of his red eyes that shined every time they look at her. She closes her eyes and relives the nights they had spent together.

Maria lays back down on her side, wrapping her own arms around herself. She can feel the darkness coming back to take her but her mind begins to wonder about Za'taan and how he was doing.

Was he alright? Was he looking for her after all this time? Did he miss her? Will they ever find each other again?

That caused another headache to come on and Maria moves her arms to claw at the scalp, gripping it so tightly that she could feel her nails digging into it. She tries her best to keep strong, holding on her faith in Za'taan that they will find each other again. All she has to do it keep on going and endure.

With that, Maria curls into a fetal position, feeling the coldness creeping in from the small window on the wall as she drifts off into a dream with Za'taan wrapped around her, whispering that he will find her . . . no matter what.

**Hello everyone! :D**

**And early April Fool's! I know it was probably cruel of me but I forgot that was April Fool's Day so I decided to keep you guys waiting for the wrong date. But of course, I have to admit that I couldn't wait anymore either so here is the first chapter of **_**Endurance**_. **I'm still posting the other first chapters for **_**Metamorphosis**_** and **_**Nexus**_** as promised so don't worry. I'm not that cruel . . . ;)**

**So Maria is captured and trapped by the very people who found her on that day. But what plans do they have in store for her? Why are they so interested in the Yautja and what is their goal? **

**Find out when Chapter 2 comes along! :)**

**P.S. I will be posting every other week for both **_**Metamorphosis **_**and **_**Endurance**_** each Friday night unless notified (first week: **_**Metamorphosis**_**; Next week: **_**Endurance**_** and etc.) Postings for Nexus will vary depending on the progress of Metamorphosis but will let all of you know when.**

**Enjoy! **


	2. Chapter 2 (Deadly Plan)

Chapter 2: Deadly Plan

**WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk! **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Unknown POV]

A lone man stands near an open window, idly watching down below as the 'patients' are gathered in line for their usual pickup of medicine. All he could hear were the multiple moans and grunts that mixed together, creating an echoing sound that didn't seem to belong to any human at all. The man moves his sight from below to see the entire facility stretching to the farthest corners of the encased dome that sits in the middle of a deserted jungle. For him, it was an ideal place to use since it not only hides the company and its 'experimentations' that is conducted within its walls but also a great place to attach certain beings to this place that are attracted to warm, humid environments.

But after many years, the man waited for that opportunity to arise but nothing came. Not even a sign of their presence. It was only out of sheer luck did they finally get reports of missing people who were attacked by black creatures or xenomorphs as he calls them. Another great surprise is that several more reports came in, indicating the presence of another creature that the man has so waited for. He tried to send his best men to capture one but they had fled before there was a chance. But he was lucky for they got the second best thing: a human female that has connections to them and even something more from the reports.

He was taken from his thoughts when an unexpected knock is heard from the closed door behind him. He closes his eyes and sighs, knowing that he has to deal with this when he just wanted to be left alone.

"Come on in."

At his command, the door creaks open and footsteps could be heard coming closer. The man takes a single, deep breath as he turns around. He opens his eyes to see Sergeant Wilson coming in, stopping just in front of his desk and waiting. The man walks from his spot by the window and to his desk that sits just by where he was. He grabs the chair and pulls it out enough so that he can sit down, scooting back into the desk as he moves some papers around.

"Sergeant Wilson."

Wilson nods his head a little in acknowledgment. "Mr. Weyland."

Weyland nods at Wilson with a stern look before motioning him to sit on the chair near his desk as he does so without hesitation. It was silent between as Wilson waited for Weyland to finish his work of filing the papers in a neat pile before making contact with each other. Weyland puts his hands together and lays it across the desk.

"Any progress with our guest?"

Wilson grunts a little while rolling his eyes a bit. "She's as stubborn as ever. Got into three fights in just two weeks. Just a few days ago, she beat an old man to the point of death. It took several of my men to restrain her."

For some reason, it made Weyland chuckle a bit. He knew that Maria had a fiery heart that could easily kill a man if anyone got near her while she's pissed off. But he also knows that it might have come with her interaction with the Predators that she was with. He looks back at Wilson with a curious look.

"Why am I not surprised? She's not exactly the usual patients we deal with here."

But then Weyland sees the annoying look on Wilson and knows that he had something to say. He waves his hand in a rolling motion to tell Wilson what is on his mind.

"But why are we keeping her here for so long? She won't speak about anything no matter what we do. We starved her . . . tortured her . . . and after all these years, she hasn't broken her silence. At this point, she's just as useless as the lunatics we keep here as experiments."

Weyland knew he had a point and the fact that he was losing patience with this. But Weyland knows to bid his time with something like this. He wants Maria in a position where she becomes desperate and even if it doesn't seem that way on the outside, he knows that it's just a matter of time.

He shifts in his chair a bit, leaning back on it as he observes Wilson for a bit before explaining some things to him.

"I understand your concern. But she's our only solid connection to those hunters and maybe much more than that since they found evidence of her being intimate with one. You may think I'm just keeping her here as a pet but there is more to my plan than what you know."

"And that is?"

Weyland chuckles a bit when Wilson's eyes open a bit in curiosity. As much as Weyland wanted to tell more to his employee, he doesn't exactly trust anyone that wasn't within his personal circle. He will have to leave this job to someone else.

"You just need to know what you already know for now. Go back to your duties and keep an eye on her. I will signal you when I need her."

After that, Weyland motions Wilson to leave. With a sour grunt at not knowing, Wilson gets up from the chair and makes his way to the exit, closing the door behind him and leaving Weyland alone again.

He goes back to the papers that he was arranging before, getting them finally organized before a beeping noise from his phone calls to him. He was hoping that it was the one that he had been waiting for as he presses on the button that lets the caller talk through.

Then, the voice of an unknown female calls out to him. "Mr. Karl Weyland?"

"Yes?"

"Walter has arrived and is ready to see you."

Weyland grins as the person he has waited for finally made it. The one being that he needs for his plan to move forward.

"Send him in."

He presses on the button to cut communications with the caller. He gets up from his chair and heads back to his spot by the window, admiring the view that the afternoon sun provided. It was a while before he heard a knock on his door once more and knew who it was.

"Come in Walter."

He turns around and sees the door open, revealing a tall man with short, dark brown hair and light blue eyes. His outfit shows that he is somewhat important to the company, displaying the Weyland logo on the side of his shirt. Walter nods his head down a bit and Weyland motions him to come closer. He does so without hesitation, making his way past the desk and right by Weyland's side. Weyland turns to the side and smiles.

"It's been a long while, Walter. How was your trip from Africa?"

Walter blinks a few times before responding. "It was well, sir."

Weyland turns until his full body is in front of Walter, who does even move or flinch from this action. Weyland did expect this since Walter is not exactly considered a 'human being' by definition. But then again . . . he was just the same. He places a hand on Walter's shoulder, gripping it a bit before getting into the business at hand.

"I'm glad that you are here. I have a job for you concerning our 'patient' named Maria."

"The patient that was captured in the forest region of Spain. Known to have contact with the beings called Predators."

Weyland smiled, glad that he didn't have to explain one bit about the general details since it would be a pain in the neck to him. But Walter already had this information in his archive so Weyland could get into the details. He pats Walter's shoulders once more before letting go.

"That's right. We need your expertise in getting her to talk. She hasn't been cooperative in telling us what she knows. That is why I need you to make her cooperate in a subtle way."

Walter tilts his head a little after hearing Weyland ask him to talk to her in a 'subtle' way.

"What do you mean by that, sir? From the data you have given me, it seems that she doesn't trust anyone in our facility. How do you think she will respond to me when I have nothing to offer?"

That is when Weyland begins to chuckle loud enough for Walter to hear. He stops and looks back at Walter, dragging him by the shoulder as they move to the side of the desk. Weyland grabs a small device that sat at the edge of it and keeps taking Walter around until they stop in front of a widescreen that hung on the side wall.

"Don't worry. I have an offer that she won't be able to refuse."

With that, Weyland clicks on the device and the screen comes to life, showing a human female, unconscious and lying on a surgery table as the doctors clean up the area. Walter gazes at her for a minute before realizing who it was.

"Is that?"

Weyland nods. "Yes. She is the friend of Maria that we captured on the same day. Her name is Ana . . . and this is what I want you to do."

Weyland moves closer to Walter, discussing the details of his plan as Walter keeps looking at the screen, watching as the doctors cover her with a blanket and rolling her out of the room and out of view.

. . . . . . . . . . .

A few days had passed since Maria had been locked in the isolation cell or so she thinks that is how long it was. There would be times when she was taken from her cell and into one of the 'sessions' but in reality, it was just more torture to get her speaking. She wonders how much more she can take before her body collapses. Will she even live long enough to see freedom? To see Za'taan once again? Her thoughts go to him as she lays on her makeshift bed, looking into the moon that shined through the darkness. Her eyes close as she falls into a deep dream that seemed too real but she didn't care.

[Maria's dream]

When her eyes open again, she wasn't in the cold, metal isolation room. Instead, she was back at the waterfall that remained one of her most precious memories. The same waterfall that flowed into the small, clear pond that was clear as a mirror. Maria relaxes as she walks towards it, feeling the cool grass that was as soft as silk. It was nighttime so everything around her glowed in magnificence, even the stars in the sky radiated brighter than ever before. When she reaches the edge of the pond, she stops at the tips of her toes lightly touch the water that reached her when a ripple is cast into the pond. She lifts her head up once more and closes her eyes, letting her sense of smell take in everything around her. But then, the smell of cinnamon overtakes her nose as she inhales deeply and calls out the one person she knows who it belonged to.

"Za'taan . . ."

"**Maria . . ."**

She opened her eyes so fast upon hearing that sweet voice that was behind her. She hesitates at first but upon hearing him once more, she slowly turns her body around until her heart skips a beat and her breath catches in her throat.

Right in front of her, Za'taan's body stood tall and strong with his armor making him look like a god. The red stripes all over his chest, arms and legs seemed to glow with the light from the stars. She stared at his odd feet but lets her eyes wander higher up his body. She could see every detail of muscle in his thick thighs and almost lost her breath again when she gazes a little longer on his lower abdomen. His six pack muscles stretched all over the middle of his body, stopping just at his chest. His arms were just as thick as the rest of him, flexing every time his fists clench together.

And then, she looks at his face. Each mandible twitched when her eyes stop at one of them. His inner mouth opened slightly every time he took a breath but when Maria gets to his eyes, she couldn't help but let out a small moan. His burning, red eyes did not lose their lust for her and Maria wanted to just stare at them forever if she could. All she wanted was him . . . just him as her body begins to burn with the yearning of his.

"**Maria . . ."**

He calls once more and Maria closes her eyes, smelling his cinnamon scent once more before opening them again. Without another moment, she runs towards him with all of her strength. Za'taan opens his arms in a warm embrace as her body finally touches him. She wraps her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his chest as she feels his lower mandibles caressing her cheeks gently. Her eyes threatened to let out all the tears she had held inside but she forgets about them as his arms stroke her back.

After some time, she pulls away from him and looks up into his eyes once more, letting one of her hands reach to his cheek and letting it rest there. Their eyes lock on each other as she whispers to him.

"Za'taan . . . I'm so sorry."

She didn't really know why she was saying it but instinct told her to do so. It was like she was apologizing that she wasn't strong enough to protect him. To stop those that took him away from her. She felt that it was her own fault that this had happened and that the Hell she was in was her punishment. But just as she was letting some of her tears spill out, she watches as Za'taan takes his finger and catches one on the tip, holding it out for a bit before he places it in his mouth and purrs as he tastes it. He looks back at Maria as his hand returns to her cheek.

"**Do not blame yourself, Maria. No matter what . . . we will find each other again. Have faith and you will see."**

Maria stares into his eyes for a long while until she could no longer hold her feelings inside. She didn't care if this was a dream . . . as long as Za'taan was here, she didn't want it any other way.

With that, Maria presses her lips on his inner mouth as he does the same without pause. Both of them were so caught in their moment of passion that they ripped each other's clothes off until they were naked. They didn't even stop their kiss as Za'taan lifts her high into the air, causing Maria to moan in his mouth while he growls in response. She wraps her legs around his waist as he gently kneels onto the soft grass, laying Maria on her back as she watches him hover over her. Her heart races even faster as he lowers his mouth onto her shoulder, licking every single part with his marvelous tongue. Maria lets her head bend back as her eyes closed and her nails dig into his skin.

He keeps this treatment for a while until he pulls back. This makes Maria lift her head back to watch as Za'taan opens her legs wide with his cock sitting just in front of her core. He rubs it just to tease her and it works like a charm, causing her to moan loudly into the night sky. Letting her instincts take over, she grabs onto his cock, pulling it until the tip was encased inside her and both let out a ground shaking groan of pleasure.

Not letting another second pass, Maria grabs his hips and pulls him toward her once more until she feels his entire cock encased inside her core. She lets out yet another moan as she holds onto his hips, watching as Za'taan places his hands on either side of her shoulders. His red eyes burn into hers as he begins to thrust slowly in and out of her. She screams with all the passion in her as she feels Za'taan thrust even faster and harder into her. At one point, Maria looks back into his eyes as he does the same. Both enjoying this moment together as he keeps going even harder and faster, threatening to break her into two but Maria didn't care. She wanted this . . . with him.

"**Maria . . ."**

He calls to her and Maria closes her eyes to concentrate on him moving inside her. But just when she was about to open her eyes, a huge bang screeches into her ears, shattering the dream as her vision turns dark once more.

[End of Maria's dream]

"Wake up, filth!"

Maria's eyes shoot wide open as she is pulled from her dream and back into the cold room she hated so much. She groans from the headache that was coming on and it didn't help that the banging kept going while the guard shouts at the same time. Having enough of it, Maria gets up quickly until she is standing and stomps at the door, banging it with all of her strength while screaming.

"I hear you, fucking asshole!"

"Then get up! You have a visitor."

Maria steps back a bit, confused as what the guard meant. What does he mean that a visitor has come to see her? She didn't have a chance to think as the door creaks open, allowing the guard to pass through with his rifle in tow. Maria glares at him, ready for anything surprises that he might try to do to her. It wasn't the first time that one of them tried to subdue and rape her. Luckily, thanks to her training with Za'taan, every one of them ended up with broken fingers and a bruised face.

However, the guard didn't advance towards her, Instead, he moves to the side and lets another man come around him. Maria steps back as a young man appears in front of her. She had never seen him before but figures that he works for them since he wore an outfit similar to a businessman, only having dress pants and shirt that matched in color.

The man looks back to the guard and with a simple nod, the guard walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving Maria alone with the strange man. It was silent between them but Maria never lets her guard down, crouching just slightly as the man puts his hands behind his back.

"It's alright, Maria. I'm not here to harm or do anything of such a nature. I only wish to talk to you."

It was strange to Maria how he talked more like a computer rather than a human being. It puts her off guard a little bit before the man moves slightly, making Maria tense up once more. The man puts up his hands into the air to show that he didn't mean any harm.

"As I said, I don't have any weapons on me so there is no reason for you to be hostile. Just relax and I won't hurt you."

Maria can see that he remained calm despite sounding like he was fearful of her. She definitely can tell that he wasn't human . . . not entirely. She backs up until she hits the side of her bed and relaxes a bit after seeing that the man didn't move even a muscle. It was unnatural and something no human or any living creature could do. Once she is somewhat calm, the man lowers his hands and stands right where he is, blinking ever so often. Maria couldn't help but say something.

"You're . . . not human."

The man shakes his head from side to side. "No. I am not. I'm a synthetic made by Karl Weyland a few years ago. My name is Walter."

Maria tilts her head a bit. "Karl Weyland? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Walter nods his head to her. "He's the senior director of Weyland-Yutani Industries."

When Walter said those words, Maria's eyes widened in shock as she remembers hearing about that particular company on the news. All she knew was that they founded the first colonies outside of Earth and have advanced technology that changed the entire world as she knew it. She had no idea that she was being held by the same company. But then again . . . she had heard rumors as a child that they have done terrible things during their experimentations but without hard evidence, the government couldn't do anything but let the charges drop. She had no doubt that it was the same company as she glances at the logo just on the corner of Walter's shirt. She shifts a little and becomes tense once more.

"You work for them?"

Walter sighs heavily. "Unfortunately . . . I do but that is not why I came to you. I have a message from Mr. Weyland himself. A deal for you."

"A deal?"

She keeps her eyes on Walter as he pulls out a small, metal disk from his pocket. She backs up once more, fearing that it was a weapon of some sort. But as he activates it, the disk glows and hovers above Walter's hand. She watches as a hologram pulls up, revealing a face that she thought she would never see again.

"Ana!"

It was only a hologram but Maria watches, seeing Ana curled up in a fetal position and trapped in some prison similar to hers. She can hear Ana's cries and it begins to break her own heart as well, seeing her best friend in pain and she can do nothing about it. These people just want to cause more misery for no reason other than gaining some profit out of it. The anger inside Maria rises and burns through her chest as the hologram disappears into the disk once more.

Maria grinds her teeth and shouts at Walter as he puts the metal disk back into his pocket.

"What have you done to Ana!? You bastard!"

Walter doesn't even react to Maria as he looks back with a blank expression on his face. Even his eyes didn't show any emotions as she tries to read him.

"I don't know all of the details but Mr. Weyland wants me to tell you this. Either you tell all of the information you know about the Predators and of their whereabouts, or your friend will suffer the consequences."

"Bastard . . . I won't tell you squat!"

When she refuses to tell, she sees the first hints of emotion in Walter as his eyes closed as if fearing that this would happen. He opens his eyes to Maria once more as says something that sends chills down Maria's spine.

"If you don't cooperate, then Ana will suffer immense pain from your inability to work with us. But for now, Weyland did expect you to refuse the first time so we won't do anything. But I must warn you . . . if you don't give what Weyland wants, he will have no choice."

With that, Walter steps closer to her and that causes Maria to lose it. Without thinking, she charges at him with her fists in the air, ready to crush his face. But he was too fast and with Maria's body still weak, Walter easily pins her wrists to the sides, holding her in place without relent. She struggles to break free but it was no use as she could tell that he had abnormal strength that was definitely beyond human. After some time, she is pulled closer to Walter until their faces were only inches away as he whispers.

"Remember this . . . you are not alone."

Maria raises her eyebrows in confusion as he suddenly let's go, pulling away from her as quickly as he trapped her earlier. But before he does, Maria could feel him slip something between her fingers and for some reason or another, she grips it tightly in her hand as Walter backs up to knock on the metal door.

"We're done here."

On command, the guard opens the door and comes into the room, pointing his rifle at Maria until Walter lowers it down with his hand. The guard immediately puts it away and moves to the side, allowing Walter to slip past and out of the room. But just as he was about to do so, he turns around to look at Maria once more.

"Think about it. For your friend's sake . . . and yours."

And with that, Walter leaves and the guards follow suit, closing the door behind them and leaving Maria by herself once more.

She thinks about what had just happened and fear began to seep into her chest. What will they do to Ana? What tortures have they stored for both her and Ana? Will she have no choice but to talk?

To be honest, Maria had no idea where Za'taan and the rest of the Yautja went but she knew it didn't matter. They wanted answers and they will get it by any means necessary. She sits on her bed and lowers her head, trying to think of what she can do until Walter's voice echoes in her mind.

"_Remember this . . . you are not alone."_

She didn't quite understand what he meant by that until she remembers the small object that Walter had given her. She holds her hand up and opens it, revealing a small metal object that was almost squared shape. She had no idea what it was or its purpose but for some reason, she can only guess that Walter had slipped it to her without anyone noticing. Like he wanted her to have it but without any knowledge of what it was, she places it under her pillow for safekeeping.

In her mind, she wonders if she can trust Walter. He didn't seem to like what he was doing or saying to her but only time will tell. Maria lays back down on her bed, closing her eyes once more and wishing to dream of Za'taan once again.

**Hi Readers!**

**So we got some sneaky plans going on behind Maria's back as Walter begins to make him move. But what does he have to gain from all of this? What is the motive and is it made of ill intent? Plus, Walter may be working for Weyland but he's got his own plans up his sleeves and poor Maria is caught right in the middle as her best friend is tortured just because she refuses to tell.**

**What will happen to Maria? What will she decide? Can she trust Walter? Or more precisely, can she trust anyone in this Hellhole? **

**Find out when Chapter 3 comes along! **

**Enjoy! :))) **


	3. Chapter 3 (Friend Among Enemies)

Chapter 3: Friend Among Enemies

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Unknown POV]

The Yautja sits on his throne that stood above an arena where others would look up upon him. But today, it was empty, and all he wanted was to remain here in at least some peace and quiet. The only sounds were hissing from the hidden mechanisms that powered the room. His head bowed a little as his hand rubs between his eyes. The frustration of the same dilemma causing more headaches than he wanted.

When he had hoped for good news, it ended with more problems than he already had to deal with. With the right amount of time, he hoped that it would fade on its own, but that started to become impossible. He needed to secure everything in place, and the current problem was making things worse. He didn't know how long this would keep up before he would lose his sanity.

He groans and drops his head down further, placing his hand on the arm of his chair to keep him steady. He clicks his mandibles together erratically, displaying his anger over all of this. His claws dug into the skin of his forehead as the headache radiates to becoming unbearable. He lost the sense of time and space until he catches a familiar sound. It reminded him of clattering of metal sandals on the floor, but they were light-footed. It stops just in front of him, and he looks up to see the one person he didn't want to have with him.

"_Is there something wrong, my love?"_

The bright, golden eyes of his mate Ho'valea stares into his red ones with worry. He just wanted to be left alone since he wasn't in the mood and feared that whoever crossed his path right now would surely get his pauking (fucking) ass kicked. But with Ho'valea, he gives a simple growl in her direction before turning away.

"_I'm not in the mood."_

"_Don't be like that. I'm not so blind as to why you are acting this way." _

He doesn't move as she approaches cautiously but not enough that she was doing it out of fear. Her feet come into view of his sight, but he doesn't run. He could growl in warning but knowing Ho'valea, it won't work. She was such a stubborn female, to begin with, but that is why he fell in love with her. She would never take no for an answer. She rests her butt on the unoccupied arm of the chair and begins to rub her hands on his shoulders. It made him relax a bit, but the tension was still as strong as before. He grunts while shifting his head back up to look at the ceiling.

"_I don't know what to do. This is getting out of my control."_

He closes his eyes and takes deep breaths to calm his wild heart. This whole situation of the future placed a whole lot of stress on him. It didn't make it better that he was reaching an old age even to Yautja standards. He can't keep leading the clan for much longer so he needed to secure a successor before another civil war could start. After the last one, he wouldn't dare go back to the old days. Ho'valea lowers her hands to his arms until her claws wrapped around his forearm. She leans her head to his and purrs.

"_Why waste your time with someone like him? You have plenty of offspring that could succeed you instead of a brute who only cares for something that is not even of our own species. As far as everyone is concerned, he is useless."_

He stands up fast out of his chair, rips from Ho'valea and roars with such fury at her face.

_"Know your place! He may be fascinated by an ooman female, but Za'taan has earned his right to be the successor. After Vah'rouh declared himself a Bad Blood on the ooman planet, losing I'stih and Ya'stu, he's my only chance to keep our clan together! But locking him up here hasn't done anything to snap him out of it!"_

He takes a few steps away from Ho'valea and stops with his back to her. He grunts from the headache, so he swings back and forth to try and find some alleviation. His grey dreadlocks sway in front of his eyes but do little to help him. He stops and turns back to her. Her body is stiff with a mix of anger and worry. He wasn't sure which one she was more of, but it didn't matter. He's determined to do what must be done.

"_If I have to help him get back to his former self, then so be it."_

Right on cue, his wrist gauntlet beeps erratically. He turns his attention and presses some codes until he reads the message that he had been waiting for. He nods to himself and presses again until deactivating the gauntlet.

"_What was it?"_

Ho'valea hisses in anger but he ignores it. He knows that she will not like what he's planning. To be honest, she hates Za'taan with a passion but to include another thing she hates more, it's just asking for a fight silently. But Ho'valea wouldn't do something stupid as to challenge him. It was suicide at least.

"_You will see . . ."_

The doors to the room open, gaining both of their attention as a single male Yautja comes through. He has decorated in so much armor that it made him like a tank with few areas barren at the joints for movement. His face was covered by an adorned mask that had several horns lining the edges where his dreadlocks started. What makes him distinct is one of his dreadlocks was split into two on a hunt so long ago, making two strands dangle from one dreadlock. He walks up until stopping a few feet in front of them, facing up from below. He crosses his arm and bows low in respect as the same gesture was returned by the Yautja. Ho'valea remains still, not even reacting as the armored Yautja raises himself back up.

"_My lord Dovalki."_

"_Raith. Thank you for coming on such short notice."_

Raith just bows his head to show no offense on his remark. Lord Dovalki bows a little in response and steps down to be at the same level as Raith, leaving Ho'valea fuming at the top. Dovalki stops a few inches from Raith and places a firm hand on his shoulder.

"_I have a favor to ask of you."_

Both Yautjas begin to talk about the subject on Lord Dovalki's mind that would continue on for several hours, boring Ho'valea enough to walk out of the room after only a few minutes. It mattered little to Lord Dovalki and Raith as they discussed on their plan to settle the problem once and for all.

[Maria's POV - Back on Earth]

The morning had arrived much too soon for Maria. The small light that came from the window hits her face as she groans in distaste. She barely had any sleep during the night after being pulled out from her dream and talked to by a synthetic named Walter. The last words he spoke kept repeating in her head. What did he mean 'you are not alone'? He worked for Weyland and yet went behind his back. Se had no idea what the plot was going inside his artificial mind, but Maria had to be cautious. With all they had transpired within the last few years . . . the torture and attempted rapes . . . She didn't know who to trust anymore.

She closes her eyes several times to get used to the light until she had enough and sat up to get away. The muscles on her back, calves, and biceps roared with an ache that stretched to other parts. She winced when she sat up with her legs dangling on the edge of the bed, moving around in the hope of relieving some of it. It was then that her mind remembered something as she reached underneath the pillow to find the small device that Walter left behind. She tried fiddling it, but nothing came from it. She thought it was useless, but deep down, a voice told her to hang on to it.

Just as she tucked it underneath her gown to keep it safe, a bang on the door made Maria jump a little.

"Prisoner! Time to wake up!"

She growled in response and slammed her hands on each side of her, shaking the bed frame.

"How about you fuck off!?"

"No chance! It's time for lunch!"

She had to blink a few times to understand the meaning of his words. Was it already lunch? Maria couldn't fathom that she slept until sometime in the afternoon. She really didn't know anymore since no clocks were present in the facility. A yawn comes to her, and she lets it out. That made her stretch her muscles all the more, causing more ache to pass through her. The door unlocks, and it creaks until a soldier slips through the opening before it had a chance to finish. This one had no mask like the others so she could see his light, green eyes glaring at her. She does the same, keeping her sights on him as more of his 'goonies' comes through.

"Get up and let's go. You know the drill."

He stares at Maria until he turns to two of his followers that had chains in their hands. However, they only made two steps forward when the head soldier puts his hand up as a 'stop' command, and they do so like good dogs. Maria squirted her eyes in confusion until the main soldier comes closer to her. She stands up fast, unsure of his intentions until he grabs her chin forcibly. Her face is pulled towards him, and Maria could see the glow of lust in his eyes. Mentally, she rolled her own as she understood what he wanted before he spoke.

"What a waste to let you rot in here. I can set you free if you can do one favor for me."

The soldier grabs her hand, pulling it closer to his groin area, but Maria didn't like it. She smirks a bit as the soldier does this, grinning in delight at her response. Just as her fingertips were about to reach him, Maria grabs his wrist with her free hand and with a quick twist, snaps it into two. The soldier screams with such intensity that Maria could feel her eardrums were about to pop, but she didn't care. She lets go, and he stumbles back, holding his wrist as it dangles unnaturally. She could see bone barely protruding underneath the skin as the soldier glares back with so much fury in his eyes.

Maria puffs and yells. "That's what you get. Better you find another woman who suits you. A whore would be perfect for you."

Without warning, the soldier swings his other hand and slaps her across the face. Her head whips around as she falls to the ground. The neck muscles pop a little, and she winces in agony, holding her cheek that begins to burn. Before she could look back, the two soldiers hustle to her side and grab her hands. They do quick work in getting the restraints on her, connecting the chains together to limit her movements as they lift her from the ground. They hold her from the sides as the main soldier yells out in anger.

"Get this fucking bitch to the lunch bay! Now!"

Maria hisses at him as the soldiers drag her out of her prison and into the hallway that seemed never-ending. The only good thing that Maria could get out of this is when someone from behind explains that it was his fault for trying something like that. The last words she heard were cursing ones from the soldier, and she smirked a little from the delight of knowing.

. . . . . . . . . . .

After a long and grueling time being dragged through the hallway and into the open area known as the 'lunch bay' but in reality, it was more like a bigger prison to Maria. In the most obvious of fashion for all the prisoners to see, they unlatched her chains and threw her down on the floor in front of them. She whips around, and the metal door closes just ash she slams her fists into it, screaming until she had to pause to take in some breaths. A minute passes, and she turns around, seeing that the other prisoners kept their eyes on her for a moment until they gaze away. She shakes her head and rubs the bridge of her nose as she walks towards the serving area where the food was. She had to wonder why they were allowing her in here when they have starved her for quite some time. But she dismissed it as unnecessary as she gets in line, grabbing a dirty, metal tray that was sticky with food residue. She didn't expect anything better after the way they treated her and other prisoners.

She doesn't say much as the servers just threw the food like it was just a nuisance, but then again, it wasn't pleasant to eat. All Maria got was a brownish color soup that had disgusting pieces of meat floating in it. The salad wasn't any better as she observed some of the lettuce had some black spot, which Maria had no doubt what it was. The only decent food was a small bread roll but was cold to the core, and the little cup of water was reasonably clean, but Maria didn't trust it. She had heard rumors that the soldiers put drugs in it to subdue prisoners or worse. Not much any better than anything else.

Maria moves away from the serving area and walks between tables with prisoners eating their share. She saw some staring at her while others kept their heads down. Maria held her glare at them, and they shuddered away, keeping quiet, but she couldn't help but hear some whispers that concerned her.

"There she is. The freak that mingles with aliens."

"Are you sure? They are just rumors . . ."

"Are you kidding? She attacks anyone who just simply looks at her. She beat up an old man just a few days ago. She's feral."

"Some say that the aliens brainwashed her . . . just so they can leave her here to kill us all."

After that comment, Maria blocks it out of her mind as she finds an empty table in the farthest corner of the area. She places her tray down and lets herself sit on the metal seat that was uncomfortable for anyone. Maria leans down to her food but just stares. Despite the growls in her stomach, she just picks it a little with her fingers since they didn't bother handing out silverware. Probably, they think that we're just animals and not worth having such a small luxury.

She keeps her head down but gazes up once in a while, seeing the prisoners talk and argue with one another. But the glances toward her direction didn't fade. They knew better not to get near her, and she liked the privacy. That is until she sensed a figure stopping just behind her. She was about to swing herself to confront them until she hears a familiar voice.

"You look as gloomy as ever."

Maria smiles and huffs a little as the figure comes around, taking a seat in front of her as they placed their food tray just across hers.

"Tane."

She smiles in response and Maria was just happy to have at least one friend in this miserable place other than Ana whom she hadn't seen since they were captured. As far as Maria knows, Tane originated from Japan and was living a miserable life as a farmer's child. Eventually, their family went into debt, and they had no choice but to sell Tane for money like a slave. Somehow, she ended up here in Weyland-Yutani, but she wouldn't speak about it, despite Maria asking many times. In the end, it mattered little. She felt sympathy for Tane as their pasts were very similar. She was almost 'sold' to help her family to Juan like Tane was. The only difference was that Maria got out of it in time and even found love, but Tane wasn't so lucky . . .

But she was glad to find someone who sympathized with her. Over time, they became best friends, and Maria was able to teach her some English, even though she knew some from listening to soldiers in her time. Tane shifts in her seat as Maria leans close enough to whisper so no one else can hear them.

"Have you heard anything about what we talked about last time?"

She was hoping for something after not seeing each other after a few weeks. Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed when Tane shakes her head to each side while her eyes close in disappointment.

"No. There's nothing that could potentially become an escape route for us. And those that I found somewhat promising, we would get shot down with one step outside."

Maria grunts in frustration and leans back on the chair, looking up to the ceiling to think of something. Ever since they met, both planned a way to find an escape. It seemed impossible, and earlier attempts from other prisoners ended with them either killed or tortured until they begged to die. It wasn't an option for Maria. She leans forward and closer to Tane, who was taking a bite out of her roll of bread.

"Have you seen Ana in your section?"

Tane shakes her head. "No one by that name who fits the description you gave me. I wished I had more to tell you."

She lowers her head in sadness, and Maria felt terrible for causing such a reaction. She reaches across and places her hand on top of hers. Tane looks up in surprise, and Maria just smiles.

"It's alright. We will find another way to get out of here. And find Ana as well."

She saw Tane smile a little as her brown eyes began to shine. Maria's smile grew more prominent as she pats her hand once more. But when she gazes behind Tane, her smile fades, and her friend picks it up fast.

"What is it?"

And right on cue, a scream shatters the chattering in the lunch bay, and it goes quiet for a moment. Maria, Tane, and everyone else turned their heads and found several soldiers dragging a frantic prisoner out the door. He flailed his arms at his captors, clawing with all of his might. But every time the prisoner did, they would punch him right in the face in an attempt to silence him. It only makes the prisoner scream even more, and it sent chills down Maria's spine when he began to yell.

"Don't take me! Please! I don't want another appointment!"

This wasn't the first time Maria heard someone say about an 'appointment.' When she first arrived, she imagined that it just means like going to the doctor or something. She didn't know why she thought that after they imprisoned her. It only later did Maria figure out through rumors and Tane that it was more experimentations of great horror. Anyone who went for such a thing either come back different or not at all.

Although Maria wanted to do something about it, even if she would like a piece of the soldiers, it would be pointless since everyone around her is either useless or too scared. It would be her against several soldiers, and the outcome would be obvious. The screaming was still heard, even after the prisoner was out of the lunch bay and through the door. It was several minutes before it quieted down and the others went back to their daily routines in this dump.

"They're all fucking jerks, aren't they?"

Tane chuckles, and the infection of it made Maria do the same. Sometimes, she couldn't believe how Tane can just say something like that despite her appearance that displays a 'helpless' woman who's shy and doesn't want any trouble. But Maria knows better than that. She turns back to face Tane and smile at each other.

"You're right about that. But the soldiers are not someone you want to cross with if you have no conviction behind your actions."

The tone that came out of Maria was harsh enough that Tane's eyes dropped down in worry and Maria began to regret it. It stung her chest like someone stabbed a needle in her, but it was necessary. She wanted to make sure that Tane knew what she was up against. After that, Maria and Tane just kept small talk with each other. Sometimes it would be either about a dispute that wasn't caused by Maria or more rumors about experimentation. Maria didn't want to talk about it much, but she needed to know how her captors ran this place. But then, a small buzzing underneath her gown starts and Maria had to hold in a yelp of surprise.

"Maria. What's wrong?"

She quickly sees the concern in Tane as she stands up from her chair, but Maria puts out her hand to stop here.

"It's alright, Tane. My back just ached for a moment."

Maria had no idea why she was lying to her friend. Some instinct told her not to say anything for fear of the soldiers finding out. Walter snuck it to her for a reason, and she wanted to find out . . . Now that it was acting up all of a sudden. She moves her hand to her lower back to simulate someone who was in pain as she got up. Tane comes a little closer, but a look from Maria stops her from entering any closer. Her mouth opens and closes to try and say something but nothing. To be honest, Maria didn't know how to answer her if she did so this small hesitation provided her time to get out of there.

"I'm going to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

Quick as lighting, Maria turns to walk in the direction of the 'somewhat' restroom the facility provided. To be honest, it wouldn't be considered like that since it was nothing more than a shithole. She didn't like being in there with no privacy, but it was the only excuse she could think of. She goes to a narrow hallway on the side of the lunch bay that connected to the restroom. It's somewhat private, so Maria uses that. She stops and presses herself against the wall that was hidden from view and in darkness. Her head twists and turns to each side, making sure no one had followed her. When the coast was clear, she reaches for the device and pulls it out. The vibrations kept going and Maria had no way to stop it. She fiddled with it once more but got frustrated when it didn't provide many clues.

Just as she was about to give up, her eye catches a small button on the side that wasn't obvious unless you look very closely. The black coating of it made it almost impossible to find. An urge to touch it came over and Maria slowly moves her index finger closer to it. A slight hesitation stops her for a second. For all she knew, it could be a bomb or something. A ridiculous notion since it wouldn't make sense for Walter to give it to her. She was starting to think her mind was going after being in here for so long. Maria takes a couple of breaths to ease her anxiety, takes a leap of faith and presses her finger on it. She could feel a click underneath, and the device stops vibrating. Suddenly, it flips open so fast that Maria lets go and it drops to the floor. She froze as all of her muscles contracted painfully. She wonders if anyone might have heard her. She looks back down the hall towards the lunch bay, but it was just the same chattering from the other prisoners. Her body relaxes against the wall, but she turns her attention to the device that had changed shape, now looking like some sort of cell phone. Maria hesitates for a moment before grabbing the device off the floor.

She turns it back and forth to study it. At first, she thought it was a cell phone, but there were no numbers or anything else. It just had a small speaker and some sort of hearing device. After some time observing it, Maria decides to place it on the side of her face like a phone, and sure enough, a voice rings in her ear where her ear meets it.

"Maria."

She recognizes the voice, and her eyes widen in surprise. "Walter?"

"You remember me? That's good. I don't mean to be straightforward but are you alone?"

She takes one more look back and forth across the hallway, seeing no one even near but it was quite confusing as to why Walter wanted to know.

"I am."

She could hear him sigh a little. "Good. From the signal, you are in the hallway by the lunch bay, correct?"

"Huh?"

She was completely taken by surprise by how Walter knew where she was at that moment. Her brain couldn't quite find a reason how but Maria couldn't ask fast enough as Walter beat her to it.

"Good. You should be close to the door hidden there. Try and find a small symbol on the wall. It should have the company logo on it that has a 'W' in the middle."

Maria became frustrated with all of his commands. She didn't even trust him, and he knows that. But he expects her to follow his words like a good dog. She seethes into the speaker on the device with apparent anger in her voice.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Again, she was blown off by Walter as if he didn't hear her.

"Just find the symbol. I'll explain it when we meet. I have to go."

The device clicks dead, and Maria was tempted just to forget all of this and go back to the lunch bay. She brings the device up to her that has returned to its original shape. Her mind goes back and forth, contemplating her choices and consequences that would follow. If she follows Walter, will it be another trap to get her talking? But if she doesn't, will she just keep living this life for another couple of years until she's old or dead? It doesn't seem like great choices, but she needed to do something. She wants to get out of here and find Za'taan once more. This might be her only chance . . .

She closes her eyes for a few moments, and when she opens them again, she made her decision.

She puts the device away and searches for the symbol that Walter mentioned in their brief conversation, but it was easier said than done. The wall was grey and barren. It had nothing on it at all with a few scratches on it. Maria places her hands to feel for anything. She walks alongside it, keeping her hands on it until her eyes catch something. Halfway towards the restrooms, there was a particular scratch on the wall that was different. She rubbed her fingertips and traced along it, realizing that it was part of a shape. She looks closer and finds a 'W' mark on the wall. Now, she didn't know what to do at this point. Walter only told her to see the symbol but nothing else. She shakes her head in frustration but as soon as she pressed her fingers on the emblem, the wall began to move.

She jolted back in surprise, watching as an opening inside the wall emerges. Maria couldn't see anything inside since it was pitch black. But she was already deep into this, so she isn't going to back off now. With a little push of courage, Maria steps through and into the dark abyss as the wall closes up and leaving her in complete darkness.

At first, she had no idea what was in store for her. She couldn't see anything, so she tried to listen for anything. There wasn't much until she heard a creaking sound in front. Maria's body tenses up in preparation for what was to come. It could be a trap, and she was starting to regret coming inside. But then, a familiar voice calls out to her.

"You actually decided to come. After everything."

As soon as she realized who it was, a whole array of lights activated and almost blinded Maria. She had to hold her hand up to block it until her eyes adjusted. When she looks forward, Walter was standing in front of her with curious eyes. She relaxes a bit for some reason but remains vigilant. Maria didn't trust him just yet but had many questions for him, especially with a particular one. For now, she calls out to him.

"Walter."

He smiles a little. "You remember me? I thought that you had forgotten."

She puffs in annoyance. "How can I forget a synthetic that threatened my friend if I don't cooperate?"

"It wasn't my choice to make."

Maria straightens herself out, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. The room reminded her when she was first brought here and interrogated by her captors. A table was placed in the middle with two chairs on either side. Scratches decorated the place, and it sent shivers down Maria's spine. Other than that, nothing else existed but her and Walter. The room was devoid of life in general. Her attention goes back to Walter when he hears him clear his throat, and she leers at him.

"Sorry for interrupting but we don't have much time to talk. So we have to move quickly."

"Why do you even want to talk?"

His mouth opens but then closes back up. His eyes drop to the floor in dread and Maria couldn't help but feel regret saying that with a harsh tone. Still, she didn't want to be buddies just like that. She needed to get information out of him about all of this and what Weyland was up to. She watches as Walter lifts his gaze back to her and takes a deep breath.

"I need your help."

She was stunned. The plea in Walter's voice and eyes caught her by surprise when he spoke. What can she do to help? As far as she could see, she was trapped, and Walter was in a better place than her. Why does he need her help? She relaxes, and curiosity gets the better of her.

"Why? You're friends with Weyland and pretty much run this hellhole. I, however, am a trapped rat."

"It's not that simple."

Maria feels the frustration coming back on. It was like he's dodging the questions but at the same time, telling her small details. Her fists tightened on her sides, and Walter observes this. He clears his throat one more time before speaking.

"I'm also a prisoner . . . just like you but in a different way. I can explain more if you would like to sit down."

He waves his hand at the chair, but Maria growls a bit, not really in the mood to go have a 'chat' with a synthetic that belongs to the enemy. She begins to debate just leaving and forgetting all of this. After a few seconds, she decides she had enough and yells in frustration.

"This is bullshit! I'm not going to listen if you're not going to be straight with me! I'm out of here!"

Maria turns around, so her back was to Walter, taking angry steps towards the door in which she had to find out how to open it, but she didn't care. However, she takes just one or two steps until Walter stops her.

"Do you want to see Za'taan again?"

Her body froze in an instant. Walter mentioned Za'taan's name, and that sent tingles all over her skin. No one really knew his name, so for Walter to say it out loud, Maria became utterly confused. She slowly turns back around with her eyes widened in shock. She stuttered for a moment until she could form her words.

"How . . . do you know . . . about him?"

She watches as Walter shifts from side to side, looking back at her with curiosity and intrigue.

"I have my ways of finding data. You may not know it, but the company has been gathering information about you since you arrived, along with things about your relationship with the predators . . . or Yautja as you call them."

Maria didn't know what to think anymore. She knows that Weyland is in deep with all of this, going as far as finding intimate details about Za'taan and her. The anger was building inside her chest and burning like wildfire. Despite wanting to lash out, she understood that Walter wouldn't have told her this if he didn't trust her. The look in his eyes was proof of that. She takes deep breaths until her body relaxes. She looks back at Walter and swallows.

"What do you want?"

She calmly asks, and Walter's eye lit up as if he made a breakthrough. He bows his head a little before waving his hand back to the chair.

"All I want is to talk. Shall we?"

He moves around the table and sits down on the farthest chair, leaving the other one for Maria. She hesitates for a moment until she shakes her head a bit. She needed to know what he wanted, and also, another thought comes up in her mind. With enemies surrounding her, she needed an ally more than ever. And when he mentioned that she might be reunited with Za'taan, she couldn't refuse.

She walks until reaching the chair and slowly sits down on it. It wasn't the most comfortable, but it didn't matter as she stares straight into Walter's eyes, waiting until he spoke and their conversation began.

**Hi Readers!**

**So we got a lot of shit going on. First, the Yautja, in the beginning, has a plan in store for everyone involved but what does that include? I wonder . . . But with Maria, she had made some friends with one named Tane but what about Walter? He seems to want to help but is elusive, and that is making Maria angry. I mean . . . who wouldn't be if they were sending you into a dark room and everyone wants to beat you up or something worse?**

**Should Maria trust Walter? And will she find out about his plans and also reunite with Za'taan? But at what cost?**

**Find out when Chapter 4 comes around next week. **

**Also, since I just got an account for Grammarly, I'm going to be posting another chapter for **_**Metamorphosis**_** and **_**Nexus**_** but I might be able to update once a week (Nexus being the exception), and I can't hold in all the excitement! :))) **

**Enjoy! :)))**


	4. Chapter 4 (Unexpected Guest)

Chapter 4: Unexpected Guest

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

"Talk."

Maria crosses her arms over her chest while Walter straightens his back. She kept a close eye on everything he was doing, including his hands when they go underneath the table. She leers into his eyes but true to being synthetic, he doesn't show any reaction. It freaked her out deep inside. He looked human, but his actions say something else . . . Something unnatural. Walter intertwined his fingers together and placed them in the middle of the table.

"To start, it's true that I'm a part of Weyland-Yutani company along with being a personal asset to Karl Weyland. However, it's more based on dictatorship than a partnership."

"In what way?"

Maria sternly spoke so Walter would get to the point. She stayed as still as a statue, but her eyes remained on him. He shifts a bit in his seat before addressing her, remaining just as calm as before.

"My free will is limited based on what Mr. Weyland decides. I can walk and do as I please, but if I cross a line, like go against him, Mr. Weyland can shut me down in an instant. In short, I'm at his mercy."

Maria became intrigued by the workings of the company and Mr. Weyland himself. Despite being a well-developed organization with a stern leader behind, she can see that trust is very short on demand and pushed aside like a nuisance. Maria wonders how no one decided to go against him. But then again, she had seen that the soldiers use fear to control the prisoners and those who are synthetic, they can just shut them down like pressing the "off" button on a computer. This was giving Maria a headache as she averts her gaze from Walter to close her eyes to relieve it somehow. When that didn't work, she decided to ignore it, and she looks back to Walter.

"So . . . Weyland can control you somehow. But how? You're not with him all the time."

Walter nods in agreement. "It's straightforward."

He pulls his hand back to his pocket and Maria tenses, glaring right back at him and Walter notices this. He raises his open hand in the air before reaching back to his pocket slowly. Maria keeps an eye on him as he shuffles inside his pocket before pulling out a small device. This one was very similar to the one that Walter gave her except it was larger in size. He places it in the middle of the table and presses in the middle of it. It comes to life as it changes shape, twisting and turning in unnatural ways. Maria jumps out of her chair and backs off a bit, worried that it might be something harmful. She looks back at Walter with a mix of worry and anger, but he puts his hand up before she could respond.

"It's alright. This is only a hologram machine."

She follows his gaze back down at the device as it stops moving. In the end, she can see that it became a dome-like shape with a small light in the middle. Maria leans her head forward to get a closer look, noting that there wasn't any part of it that was dangerous or at least she thinks. She gazes back to Walter, and he smiles a little, letting his blue eyes convey a message that he doesn't mean any harm. With some reluctance, Maria slowly sits back down while keeping her eyes on the device that started up. In an instant, a projection comes forth and shows some small object that reminded her of an electronic car key.

"What is that?"

He points his finger right at it. "That is the master control. Weyland uses it to control me if I step out of line. The problem is that he has it with him at all times."

She studies the control a little bit before shaking her head in disbelief, rubbing her fingers on her temple. It seemed to get more complicated for her as this keeps going. But she's already deep into this so she decided to follow along. She lifts her head and observes the master control for a brief moment before gazing back to Walter.

"So how do I fit into this? What's the point?"

All of a sudden, she saw Weyland's eyes turn to stone, showing no emotion whatsoever and it made every hair on Maria's body stand up. It was a disturbing reminder that he wasn't human. He blinks his eyes a few times before he leans a little closer to Maria.

"From what I've heard, he's going to bring you to his office for some sort of meeting. He's fed up with your resistance along with Sergeant Wilson."

"And I'm fed up with him locking me up like this."

Maria growls a little at Walter's remark, making him move back a bit. But he recovers quickly and leans back once more, despite the anger emitting from her eyes.

"Anyway, when you meet with him, I can give you a chance to get it from him by creating some distraction. That way, I can be free to help you escape from this place."

The gears in Maria's head was spinning in figuring out Walter's plan. It seemed okay, but many uncertainties could lead to it going wrong. She wanted to be free, but at the same time, her mind started to doubt about all of this. Her heart began to feel heavy, and dread began to seep into every part of her body. But she keeps her composure, not wanting Walter to see it. She moves her legs so that they were crossed and leans back into the chair with her arms crossed.

"I don't get it. Why goes through all of this trouble if you can get it yourself? Or even destroy it?"

When she said that, Maria is taken aback by Walter's reaction. His smooth composure is broken, and he heavily sighs as if embarrassed with himself. It was very unexpected, and Maria didn't really know what to make of it.

"I wish I could, but the device has a sensor on it. It's always on Weyland, and if anyone tried to destroy it, I follow it as well. In short, you are the only person that is strong enough and trustworthy to go against him in this prison."

"Or crazy."

Walter giggled a bit out of reaction as his eyes lit up in amusement. Maria tried her best to keep it to herself, but it was pretty funny in her opinion. She wasn't sure about being trustworthy or reliable, but she might just fit into the crazy category. She changed back into seriousness and asked him one more important question.

"So if I do agree on this, how will we escape? Plus, I'm not leaving without finding Ana. She's just as important as you and me. I won't do squat until you can guarantee that all three of us will make it out of here alive and in one piece."

The whole room became silent as Maria waited for Walter's answer. At first, she saw his eyes drop once more to the ground, remaining as still as a statue. She wanted to say something out of frustration, losing too much patience after all of this. This was one fucked up plan that had lots of risks, but it was her only shot to getting Ana and herself out of here . . . And maybe find Za'taan after all of this. A few moments passed before Walter answered her, raising his eyes back to hers.

"There is a ship that can get us out of here. Once you get the master control, I can hack it via computer and get it ready for takeoff. I'll find out where Ana is and when we are all together, we will escape. You have my word."

Walter raises his hand out towards Maria in a handshake position. She stares at it for a moment, going back and forth between it and Walter's eyes. The uncertainty in her chest held her back along with not trusting him entirely yet, but this was her only chance to leave with Ana. A chance to find Za'taan whom she missed so much. She wonders if he's looking for her, but after three years, she had a guess that something was holding him back. It was unlike him to not find her sooner. So, with conviction taking over, she reaches for his hand and shakes it lightly. She noted that his hand was cold and hard as steel, but that was expected. Walter smiles a bit and nods. Maria just stares at her eyes soften a little before she pulls back her hand.

But just as they pulled apart, a beeping noise echoed in the room and Maria watched Walter pull out another device, but she didn't have time to see what it was since he put it back in his pocket so quickly.

"You need to go. We're out of time."

Everything went so fast as Walter swiftly got out of his chair, pulled Maria by the arm with such incredible strength and took her to the door that opened as they came near. Right as Maria was about to exit the room, Walter speaks out.

"Keep the device I gave you at all times. I will use it to communicate with you. Good luck."

With that, he pushes Maria out of the room, and the door closes tight just as Maria turned around so he could ask something else. She grunts in annoyance on how rude he was, but then again, she wasn't exactly great at etiquette herself. Remembering what he said, she reaches for the device in her gown and inspects it, making sure to secure it on her. With nothing else to do, she walks back down the hall and into the lunch bay.

But as soon as she stepped into it, she saw several guards across next to Tane, who looked like Hell had come for her. Her eyes were wide while her body shook a little out of fear as did some of the prisoners in the area while others glared. But no one dared to challenge them, and Maria knew that. It would only cause torture for the others as well as the individual. However, she already had enough trouble today, so she decided to go over and tell them to fuck off. Maria took several steps until she recognized one of the soldiers that were overshadowed until she moved for a closer look.

It was Sergeant Wilson . . .

That sent her blood boiling. She never forgot her last encounter with him when he beat her to a pulp and carried her to the isolation cell. She really hated that man with a vengeance and despite knowing that she would get hit if she confronted him, her fury clouded her judgment. She stomps over to them, and it didn't take long for him to hear her coming. Wilson's head turns to the side and smiles at her, making her vomit in her mouth with disgust.

"There's whom I'm looking for."

She hisses. "Ready for me to kick your ass?"

He chuckles in response. "I seem to remember that I kicked yours the last time we met."

"You had your goons to help you. Wouldn't be so high and mighty if it was just you and me."

He turns entirely to Maria as his soldiers got into position, aiming their guns at her. She anticipated this and crouched down a bit, ready to take them on regardless if they had weapons. But Sergeant Wilson raises his fingers and waves it around like she did a naughty thing. All she wanted to do was rip it off and stick it in his ass.

"As much as I want to teach you a lesson, I have been ordered to take you to Weyland. He's dying to meet you again."

Maria tenses a bit more but from hearing that she is to be taken to Weyland, just like Walter had told him. So he didn't lie about this? She had to give him credit for that, but she still didn't know what type of distraction he would do nor how to get the master control from Weyland. But she was going to meet him, so that was a start. The soldiers came closer with one holding handcuffs, but Maria didn't fight this time. Normally, she would, but with the 'somewhat' plan that Walter had told her, she needed to stay calm and attentive. One soldier placed the handcuffs on her wrists, which pierced into her skin when they tightened them. She saw Wilson eyeing her in curiosity, probably wondering why she didn't resist, but it didn't last long as he ordered the soldiers to take her. Maria takes one glance at Tane who was watching with worry. Maria mouths out that everything will be alright before she disappeared from view when they exited the lunch bay.

For some reason, it was a longer walk than usual for Maria. She could only guess that she anticipated what will happen once she got to their destination. She began to feel nervous but kept it to herself, making sure Wilson or the other soldiers didn't suspect her. The walk kept going on as they passed into another hallway that had several doors on each side like an endless maze. It wasn't until Sergeant Wilson moved to the team by a single entry with the company symbol in the middle. He knocks on the door, and a voice calls out.

"Come in."

She recognizes the voice belonging to the man who interrogated her when she first arrived, and her body stiffens with rage. However, the soldiers forced her inside the room with Wilson in the front when the door opened. The grip on the soldiers began to bruise her skin, and it stung deeply. Once inside, she saw that the room was larger than anticipated. Instead of the usual interrogation room, it was spacious with several cabinets filled with books and such. A carpet stretched in the center and looked expensive according to Maria. She glances forward and sees a desk that was as long as a dinner table. She noticed a ton of paperwork on one side while the other had some kind of object that was covered with a small cloth. But her attention was diverted when she heard the same voice.

"There she is."

Her eyes meet his brown ones, and she recognized the same man that stood in front of a large window. The memory of his words about her relationship with Za'taan made her mind and body fire up in rage. Her eagerness to vent her anger at him became difficult to keep under control. Weyland saw this and began to chuckle.

"Nice to see you again, Maria. I see that you haven't changed your temperament since the last time we saw each other. I hoped that you calmed down since then."

She growls a little at him, glaring right into his eyes so that he knew she wasn't happy. Weyland simply ignored it and moved around the desk so that he was in front of her but kept a few feet between them. He places his hands behind his back and looks right at her.

"Where are my manners? I haven't introduced myself before, but I'm sure you already know. My name is Karl Weyland."

Maria raises her eyebrows a little, finally getting confirmation that this is Weyland himself. So this pathetic man is the boss? She kept her eyes on him as he began to observe her, tilting his head back and forth in curiosity. It made Maria feel a little vulnerable, but she refused to look away. But what he did next surprised her beyond anything else.

"Take the cuffs off her."

"Sir?"

It was Sergeant Wilson who called out in surprise by Maria's side, almost equally as surprised as her. Weyland didn't flinch at his reaction but rather glanced at him with solemnity.

"Didn't you hear me the first time? Take the cuffs off her. She won't be needed them here."

Maria looked back at Wilson and noticed the hesitation in his eyes while his mouth opens and closes in disbelief. When Weyland gives him a glare, Wilson nods his head and takes out a set of keys from his pocket. He gets in front of Maria and unlocks her cuffs in a few seconds, but she decided to take the opportunity. As soon as she was free, she lunges right at Wilson, raising a fist into the air and aiming for his face. But then, a much hand grabs her arm and tugs her face with such force that she is flown across the room, hitting the wall before falling to the ground with a cry of pain.

The pain in her back radiates all over her body and even into her fingertips like a rippling effect. Whoever threw her was very strong . . . Much stronger than any soldier she had come across. It took her several minutes to get herself back on her feet, keeping a hand on the wall for support. When she looks up, she is met with a shocking scene.

Right in front of her, two towering figures stood like huge shadows that overcast her form, but they weren't soldiers. They were at least seven feet tall if not more and they were built like tanks. Their arms and legs were thick with layers of muscle that glowed in the sunlight while they had armor that covered most of their skin. To be honest, Maria saw that it wasn't human skin that they had but looked very familiar. She lets her gaze follow upwards to their faces, but masks covered them that reminded her of a biomask that made them seem creepy. Their foreheads were large, but they had no hair at all, and they emitted a smell that was like rotting flesh. From looking at them, she had no idea what they are until they started to make a familiar clicking sound. A sound she knew all too well . . .

Her eyes widened at the realization for a moment before she looks behind them at Weyland who was grinning with joy. She became so angry that her fists tightened as she screamed at him.

"What have you done?!"

All she got from him was a shrug of his shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"They're Yautjas!"

"Of course. They are the new super soldiers that I made recently, and so far, they have not disappointed me."

He snaps his fingers, and the two Yautjas moved to her sides, grabbing each arm tightly, earning a yelp from Maria. They dragged her across the room until she was back in her original position in front of Weyland. He nods at them, and they let her go. She had to steady herself a bit since she hadn't recovered from earlier, holding her arms out for balance for a minute. She didn't like this. She couldn't understand why these Yautja obeyed his command just like that. It was out of the ordinary behavior and audacious for their kind to follow an ooman, let alone a synthetic. Maria glares at Weyland, but just as she took a step forward, Weyland raises his fingers in the air and stops her from advancing.

"You should be careful. One snap of my fingers and they will throw you at the wall again."

She slightly turns her head to the side to see the two Yautjas coming closer to her. She backs up from Weyland, and he smirks in victory, letting his hand fall back down, and the Yautjas relax. Maria kept glaring at him but stayed still in fear that any movement will make then snap. She leers at Weyland as he walks back and forth in front of her.

"Now . . . You know what I'm going to ask so let us skip the formalities and get to the point. You know what I want."

Maria growls at him. How can she forget what he asked of her before? Still, she couldn't believe that he wanted to know where Za'taan is. Everything Weyland was doing made no sense, especially after he introduced her to his 'super' soldiers.

"Why should I tell you? As far as I can see, you already have Yautja at your disposal like they're your own personal puppets."

That is when Maria saw a change in his demeanor for just a split second. His smirk disappears as he displays a face of disappointment. He claims to have perfect Yautja guards, but she could tell that it wasn't enough for him.

"They are not enough for what I want. I need more, and your 'partner' is just what I want."

Maria screams at him. "You will not have him! I don't even know where he or his kind are so you might as well let me go!"

Weyland's smirk comes back full force as he stops just in front of Maria.

"Not entirely true. We know how their culture works in some way or another. The scar on your cheek is the symbol of their clan, and to my knowledge, they won't leave one of their own behind."

Maria's chest began to drop a little. She didn't know much of the Yautja world and didn't want to believe Weyland's words but . . . If it were true, then Za'taan or his clan would come for her and into a trap. Just the thought of Za'taan coming here and getting captured made her heart crack a little. She couldn't let that happen so she tries to bluff using whatever she could.

"You have no guarantee. I've been here for three years, and none of them have come for me. Why do you think they will do so now?"

"Because you will help me find them. Whether you like it or not."

Weyland looks to Wilson and nods in his direction. Maria watches as Wilson walks to a door on the side of the wall that she hadn't noticed before. He opens it, and more soldiers begin to walk in but not alone. There was a figure with a black bag over their head so she couldn't see their face. The soldiers dragged the figure over until they stopped between Weyland and Maria. One soldier unties the black bag and forcibly removes it, revealing a face that made Maria gasp.

"Ana!"

Her friend lifted her head as their eyes connected for the first time in a long while. Ana's eyes lit up as she cried out to her.

"Maria!"

Without hesitation, Maria ran to her, and the soldiers let go of Ana, making her drop to the floor. She quickly grabbed her before she could fall all the way as they hugged each other as tightly as she could. Tears threatened to spill out of Maria's eyes as she began to feel her, making sure this wasn't an illusion.

It was her! Maria couldn't believe that her friend was right in front of her but then she noticed how frail she was. She was skin and bones similar to Maria, so she figured that they had given her the same treatment. How could a human being do something like this? She imagined only a monster would do something like this and Weyland was a clear example. With all the strength she had, Maria lifted both of them on their feet and keeping Ana from toppling over.

"What a reunion."

Their moment of happiness shattered when Maria remembered that Weyland and his soldiers were still around. She glares right back at him as she feels Ana clinging on to her. Weyland smirks and opens his hands full as if he did something wrong.

"Aren't you happy? We let you see your best friend after all these years. Why do you look like that?"

"What have you done to her?"

As much as Maria didn't want to ask Ana here, there was a reason why Weyland brought her here. It wasn't to make her happy . . . Far from it. Her fingers dig a little into Ana's shoulders but not enough to hurt her as Weyland continues.

"If you must know, we did tweak her a bit in case you didn't cooperate with us. Remember that I told you if you didn't help us, there will be consequences concerning your friend."

Maria sees Weyland pull out something from his pocket, revealing a small device that she recognized right away. It was the master control that Walter had shown her before, and there was no doubt in her mind about it. However, Maria didn't know what he was going to do with it until he lifts it up in the air for everyone to see. He smirks once more at her.

"If you don't help, this is what will happen."

He presses a button on the master control, and a horrible scream fills the air and right in Maria's eardrum.

Ana drops to the ground, gripping her head in severe pain as she screams once more. Maria falls to her side, trying her best to calm her down but it was no use. Whatever Weyland was doing, it was putting her best friend in sheer agony. She could see tears coming out of her eyes, and Maria's heart began to break.

"Please! Just stop it!"

She reaches out to Weyland, pleading for him to stop it. He smiles and presses the button once more. Ana's screams stop, and her body slumps a little to the ground. Maria keeps her up on her knees, seeing that there was nothing wrong with her. But what did he do to make her scream like that? Maria looks back at Weyland but with concern in her eyes this time.

"What did you do to Ana?"

He doesn't answer her right away as he puts the master control back into his pocket. His smirk never left his face as he finally spoke.

"We placed a small chip into her brain that sends electrical signals through it. Enough that it can cause pain when activated, but it can do so more."

He comes closer to Maria and Ana and kneels right in front of them. His face was just inches from her as they both stare into each other's eyes. Fear began to seep into her body as Weyland smiles evilly, pulling the master control back out to wave it at her face.

"If I just amplify the signal on this, the chip can easily turn her brain into mush. Cooperate, or all you will do is sign her death sentence."

His face comes closer to Maria until their noses here just inches from touching each other. She couldn't move as she felt Ana trying to breathe while her eyes looked upon Weyland in despair.

"So . . . make your choice."

She tried to speak, but nothing was coming out. She was trapped in making a decision between her friend and Za'taan. She wanted to protect Za'taan from Weyland, but at the same time, she didn't want Ana to die because of her refusal. She didn't know what to do . . . What can she do?

But then . . . All of a sudden, a loud blast echoed all around them and throughout the forest itself as Maria believed. It grabbed everyone's attention as they stared into the window where the sound came from. Maria couldn't see what it was with Weyland covering her view until one of the soldiers shouts.

"GET DOWN!"

And with that, the whole world around Maria falls apart as the wall shatters into a million pieces, destroying everything in its path as chaos began.

**Hello everyone! :D**

**I've decided to post my prepared chapters for both **_**Metamorphosis**_** and **_**Endurance**_** this week since classes are hectic this week and don't want all of you wonderful readers to wait that long. :) (**_**Nexus**_** will wait a little longer with **_**Metamorphosis **_**catching up).**

**So Maria meets with Walter with a bargain that could unite her to Za'taan, but she's still unsure whether to trust him. Does he have something under his sleeve? A plot of his own? It's hard for her to think when Weyland has Ana in his grip along with two Yautjas that seem to obey his every command. **

**A lot is riding against her, and more bad news comes when they are under fire by some unknown force. But who is it? Could it be Za'taan coming to the rescue? Can Maria get her friends out of there in one piece?**

**Find out when Chapter 5 comes along next week!**

**Enjoy! :))) **


	5. Chapter 5 (Escape Part 1)

Chapter 5: Escape (Part 1)

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

Like meteorites falling from the sky, the whole wall crumbles to the ground as a blue flash emitted the entire room. It blinded all the soldiers except for the Yautja guards that stood still as statues, unfazed by all of this and made Maria wondered for a moment. It didn't have much effect on Maria thanks to Weyland's body shielding her, but she sees him holding the master control in his hand. This was her chance!

She reaches out and rips it from him. Weyland notices this, but before he had a chance to call for help, Maria kicks him right in the chest, sending him falling on his back. Maria wastes no time as she picks up Ana from the ground, dragging her to the door. Her foot ached after the kick on Weyland since he felt like a concrete wall. Maria hoped that there wasn't any damage so she could get her and Ana out of here. One way or another . . .

As Maria and ana enter the hall, it was like a war had ensured on the entire facility. Pieces of concrete littered the floors, and some of the rooms were obliterated entirely with half of its walls still standing. Soldiers hustled around like madmen while prisoners ran free among the facility, screaming profanity or praying. There was no order to be found, but Maria was glad for it since the soldiers didn't pay much attention to their presence. Still, she didn't know where to find an exit, but it was better than here. Maria wraps Ana's arm around her shoulders while she holds her waist with hers. It wasn't easy since Ana had trouble moving out, but Maria couldn't blame her. Whatever Weyland did to her, it wasn't exactly the most pleasant treatment ever, but she needed to make sure Ana stayed awake.

"Stay with me, Ana! We'll get out of here!"

They lock eyes with each other and Ana nod weakly, doing her best to keep her legs under her. Maria does the same as she begins walking through the hall. But only taking a few steps forward, another blast hits the side of the facility, breaking another wall and forcing Maria to duck to shield Ana from the aftermath. She wastes no time and gets both her and Ana on their feet again, using all of her strength to get out of this damned place. All of a sudden, a buzzing starts up on the side of her waist and Maria groans, knowing what and who is calling. She gets Ana into one empty room for shelter, placing her friend on the ground with her back on the wall as she pulls out the device from her hip. She answers but Walter didn't get the chance when Mara rants in anger.

"What the fuck is this, Walter!? Is this your plan for an escape? I don't think bombing the whole fucking place where we are is exactly the best scenario to use!"

She hears Walter's voice falter in confusion, trying to communicate as the explosions in the background made it harder for Maria to, but she was having none of it.

"Maria, I don't—"

"But what!? You think I was just going to follow with this plan of yours? Maybe then I should—"

"It wasn't me, Maria!"

Her mouth opens, but upon hearing his words and the meaning behind them, she freezes on the spot. She glances at Ana who was watching her with shock and horror. Maria turns around and plugs her left ear, hoping to hear him better. She takes a couple of breaths so she can ask the critical questions.

"What do you mean?"

Another blast shakes the ground and Maria had to hold herself up so she wouldn't fall. She checks to make sure Ana was alright before listening in to what Walter was saying.

"This wasn't planned. There's a ship that came out of nowhere, and before I knew it, the ship started attacking the facility."

"What ship?"

Walter hesitated for a second, but it was too long for Maria. "What ship!?"

"An alien ship. Looks like from the same one that took off the day you were captured, and they aren't happy."

When Walter spoke of a Yautja ship, time around her stopped in an instant at the realization. Could it possibly be Za'taan? Has he finally come? Maria didn't know what to think, but her heart began to dance in her chest at the thought that it could be him. Her eyes close for a split second as she remembers the smell of cinnamon in her nose and those fiery red eyes that burned like the sun. But another blast snaps her out of it. She needed to find a way out and to the ship that Walter mentioned. She places her mouth next to the device.

"Alright. How do we get out of this chaos?"

She heard shuffling in the background so she could only guess that Walter must be running. Another blast hits again, and Maria holds herself by placing a hand on the wall for support.

"There's a way through the labs that is northwest of the facility. It's far away from the chaos, and there's a secret pathway to the outside, but we don't have much time. The soldiers are moving fast and locking down the facility soon. I'll meet you halfway."

The device goes silent after that, but Maria had many questions, but for now, all she could do was trust Walter. He was her only lead out of here. She puts the device back to her hip and reaches down for Ana who was slowly gaining some strength but far too weak to move on her own. She lifts her friend up and positions her with an arm around her shoulders before continuing on. Going back into the hall, Maria pushes on and checks with Ana once in a while to make sure she was alright. She didn't speak but gave a slight nod like before, and that was enough for Maria to keep going. She kept telling herself to go northwest, but with so much chaos, it was becoming a challenge. The hallway was endless as she kept pushing despite her legs beginning to ache with pain. Once in a while, a prisoner or someone would bump into them in an attempt to escape from the attack and Maria tried her best to steady herself and Ana from toppling over.

Eventually, they reach an open area that was filled with debris and a desk that stood in the middle. Maria looks ahead and sees a large, metal door that looked sealed tight with a code panel and a warning sign saying only authorized personnel may enter. Maria sighs in relief, believing that it might be the entrance to the labs that Walter mentioned. However, she hears heavy footsteps and shouts coming from another door to the side, and Maria fears it might be more soldiers. Thinking fast, she takes Ana and heads for the desk, gently dropping to hide from the upcoming company.

Maria peeks over the desk, and sure enough, a bunch of soldiers comes in with guns loaded and ready. She silently cursed that this would happen but remains calm for Ana and her sanity, but in reality, she has no idea what to do.

"Maria . . ."

Ana's voice calls to her, and she snaps her head back to her friend. Maria saw that she wasn't doing so well. Ana looked weak to the point that she seemed lifeless with her eyes struggling to stay open. Quickly, Maria kneels down to her side in worry.

"Ana. Are you alright?"

She watches Ana try to open her mouth, but it was a struggle. Maria waits patiently for her to answer.

"Just . . . Leave me. I'll . . . Only. . . slow you down."

"No! I'm not leaving you here!"

Maria quietly shouts at Ana, letting her know of her disapproval at her suggestion. After all that they have been through, she wasn't about to let Ana die in a miserable place like this one. She refused, even if it means she will die.

But their conversation was interrupted when some of the soldiers began to talk.

"Any visual on the intruder?"

"No, sir."

Maria couldn't see them, afraid that they might discover them if she tried to peek so all she could do was hear everything they were saying.

"Look harder! That fucking alien is somewhere in the facility and could be watching us now. Be on the lookout!"

She heard the soldiers yell in agreement as their footsteps got closer to the desk. Maria's heart raced like a horse on the track, and she believed that almost anyone could hear it. Taking a leap of faith, she peeked over the side of the desk and saw a dozen of soldiers walking by their side but she fears any moment, they will find them. Just as she was thinking about it, a hand covers her mouth, and Maria instinctually tries to fight off the unknown figure. She thrashes and tries to scream but the figure was too strong, and no sound could be heard. Despite that, she keeps on fighting with all the strength she had.

"Maria."

A familiar voice stops her in her tracks as she turns her head to see Walter behind with a finger to his lips in a silent gesture. She watches Walter look back at the soldiers for a moment before he removed his hand from her mouth. She rips away from him but is surprised to see him here.

"Walter."

He nods. "Sorry for the wait. Took a little longer to get here than expected."

"You could have given me a warning."

Walter doesn't answer, but Maria knew it wasn't the time to argue as the soldiers' footsteps got closer to where they were. Both peeked over to see that one soldier was looking in their direction but shrugged his shoulders and moved on. She takes a breath to calm down before addressing Walter.

"So . . . I assume that the labs are through that door."

Walter nods, looking into his eyes. "Yes."

"And how do you think we will get through that? Looks seal tight to me."

Maria grumbles in frustration, but Walter ignores it as he answers. "I have the code to get us through with no trouble . . . Assuming nothing has changed. Do you have the master control."

She shuffles through her clothes and feels it in her hand. She takes it out, displaying it for Walter to see as he looks in awe. He reaches for it until Maria pulls it back to her fast. The look of surprise reaches his face, but Maria leers at him.

"You forgot to mention that this controls the chip inside Ana."

A small hint of rage echoes in her words and is not lost in Walter. For an instant, Maria looks back at Ana who was watching from her spot, still trying to keep her eyes open. Maria glances back to Walter as he blinks a few times before coming up with an explanation for his lack of communication.

"I didn't know anything about it until recently. Remember . . . Weyland doesn't exactly trust his employees or his servants."

Maria tries to say something but can't think of any. She remembers him saying something like that, so he got her there, but it didn't mean she was going to trust him fully. He was still part of Weyland-Yutani, so Maria kept her eyes on him. For now, she hands him the master control, and Walter takes it willingly, twisting it back and forth in observation before stuffing it in his pocket. Once he got that secure, he looks back at Maria.

"Thank you, Maria. I know that you don't trust me yet but at least . . . to show you that I mean no harm, I have something for you."

It wasn't until now that Maria saw that he was carrying a backpack on his back. He swings it around until it's between them and unzips. When the bag is opened, she watches him shuffling around until pulling a silver object that she recognized immediately. In his hands was the spear that I'stih left her with. Her eyes glowed in surprise and awe since she didn't think she would ever see it again. The light from the area shined on the spear, almost gleaming in beauty and strength. Walter observes it for a brief second before handing it over to her.

"I believe this is important to you."

Maria grabs it swiftly, laying it on her lap to see it better. Her hand glides over the shaft and the Yautja writing that is engraved. Her mind plays glimpses of I'stih when he was alive and told her to keep on fighting. Oh . . . How she misses him so much. That wise, mature Yautja who became like a brother and friend to Maria in such a small time. She was interrupted when Walter cleared his throat, holding another object in his hand.

"And this is yours as well."

Her heart skips again when the dual knives come into her view that once belonged to Ya'stu. Another memory of his sweet laugh fills her, and she felt the happiness inside her grow, heating up her body. Walter waits as Maria rips of a piece of cloth from her gown, wrapping part of it on the spear and tying it on her back to create a pouch for it. She then takes the knives from Walter and places them on her hips, tugging to make sure they were secure. When all that is done, Maria looks back at Walter but this time, she was grateful for him returning her weapons to her. She gives a small, sincere smile to him as a sign of appreciation.

"Thank you."

Walter lightly smiles back. "You're welcome but we really need to get out of here, and your friend doesn't look too good."

That is when Maria turns to see Ana just as she was but hasn't improved. The chip in her head must have taken a toll on her, and that sent Maria's blood boiling. All she wanted was to tear Weyland apart with her own bare hands and feed him to the wolves, but that had to wait later. Maria nods in agreement and goes to Ana. Walter watches as Maria gets her friend to kneel at least to get ready. Maria sees Walter turn around to look at her.

"Alright. The soldiers are almost gone. As soon as they pass, we need to run as fast as we can to the door. If all goes well, we'll slip past them without notice."

"Fine. Let's just do it."

Maria gets Ana to move closer to Walter who watches as the soldiers leave one at a time, going through another hallway on the other side of the area. Although she can't see them, Maria waits until Walter gives them a signal, turning around with a nod.

"Let's go."

Like a mad dash, Walter runs past the open area and makes it to the metal door. He checks back to see if anyone noticed him before waving Maria to do the same. Maria takes Ana in the same position as before and hobbles across. It was painful to endure when Ana began to whine a little but Maria senses she's trying her best to keep quiet. Maria whispers to her.

"We're almost there. Hang on."

"Yes . . ."

Her weak voice begins to break pieces of Maria's heart. All she could do is get her out of here and get help. She silently prayed in her heart that Ana will make it out of here. But just as they were halfway to Walter, a stern voice yells out.

"Stop right there!"

Maria freezes in her spot as she saw a lone soldier coming from the direction of the hallway that the others went through, pointing the gun at her head.

"Shit . . ."

Without hesitation, Maria swings Ana around so that she was in the front but still holding on to her. She looks with her eyes to where Walter went and found that he hid behind some debris near the metal door, poking his head out to see what was happening. She turns back to the soldier who called for backup with his radio and not a moment passed when the rest of them come running in, pointing their guns as well. It became a standstill, and Maria could only hope but think of a way out of this mess and Walter can't help at the moment since they have no idea that he's helping them. But things got worse as Maria sees the one man come through the group that made her all the angrier.

"Well . . . Well. Looks like you got caught."

She glares as Sergeant Wilson comes strolling in like he owns the place and Maria couldn't suppress the growl vibrating from her throat. He hears this, and that just made him chuckle harder, tempting Maria just to kill him right then and there, but with Ana involved in the mix and with a dozen of soldiers ready to shoot, she might as well commit suicide. Wilson comes closer to Maria and Ana, but she steps back, instinctually going into fighting position.

"Try it, Maria. I know you have a death wish doubt you want your friend to get killed. No point in all of this."

He smiles and Maria groans in disgust, grinding her teeth to suppress her anger.

"You fucking bastard . . . You're nothing but a dog!"

"You are in no position to speak like that. I can kill you right here and now despite Weyland's command to bring you back. In my opinion, you nothing but a waste of space and should be disposed of."

Maria watches Wilson walk back and forth in front of them, rubbing his chin between his fingers while his eyes are closed, most likely debating on whether to do so. He stops and opens his eyes, and Maria knows those eyes all too well. She knows what's going to happen next.

"I think I should. I'll just bring your body to Weyland and say that you wanted this. He'll believe me, and I don't have to see your ugly mug face ever again."

Without pause, Wilson raises his hand up and the soldiers behind raise their guns higher to get a good aim at Maria. Her heart drops in her chest as the thought that she was going to die but more so that Ana will be killed as well. She doesn't want this to happen. She promised Ana that they will get out of here no matter what. She won't allow this to end . . . Not like this! Maria stands tall in front of them, moving her body so that if they do shoot, at least Ana will be protected. Wilson sees this and smirks, but Maria doesn't care. She glares right into Wilson's eyes, waiting for the command to fire.

"Have fun in Hell, bitch."

He raises his hand higher, and Maria doesn't move a muscle. In her heart and mind, she recalls the time with Za'taan for that brief moment, wishing that she got to see him one last time. Maria hopes that he's alright . . . And that he knows she loves him . . . Always. . .

All of a sudden, a shrilling cry fills the room, alerting everyone to it. As the soldiers twist and turn to find the source of the sound, Maria sees a black figure zip between the soldiers, grabbing one in its grip and smashing into the nearby wall. The unfortunate soldier cries in agony as Maria heard the ripping of flesh and smells the stench of blood. But what made her freeze in horror was the screeching sound that followed afterward. That sound was all too familiar to Maria, and it was confirmed when the figure raised itself from the ground. Its tail whipping behind while its broad forehead rises to look at them. Although it had no eyes, Maria could see its intent to kill . . . A feeling that would never go away, making her whisper its name.

"_Kainde amedha . . ._"

The black alien stood tall as Maria saw the disemboweled body of the soldier behind with his guts ripped out and half eaten, spilling onto the floor. Her attention draws back to the _kainde amedha _as it screeches towards the soldiers who look on in fear. However, when it did, more of the black creatures showed up, popping out from the cracks in the walls. Soon, several _kainde amedha_ stood in front of them, and Maria knew it was only a matter of time before chaos ensued. Sure enough, Wilson reacts quickly by saying the only thing a soldier would think of.

"Open fire!"

On command, the soldiers fired, and gunshots erupted throughout the area. However, the _kainde amedha_ leaps to the ceiling, faster than the bullets that flew and hit the adjacent wall. Maria takes the opportunity and moves Ana to the metal door that was just a few feet away. She glances back and forth as she watches the _kainde amedha _slashes each soldier one by one, creating a pile of bodies with blood spilling all over. It turned Maria's stomach a bit, but she kept her focus on the metal door, seeing Walter coming out from his hiding spot to greet them.

"Hurry!"

He waves to Maria, and she goes as fast as possible with Ana in her arms. Once there, Walter gets to work on the lock, pressing way too soon for Maria to follow. She, instead, looks back at the fight as the soldiers kept firing at the black creatures but failing miserably. But then, she catches a sentence that one of the soldiers shouts before being pierced by a tail through his chest.

"How the fuck did these things get out!?"

Her eyebrows raise up in confusion at what the soldier said. Were there _kainde amedha_ here, to begin with? What the fuck is going on? She didn't get the chance to think further as Walter finally gets the code and the door groans, opening slowly like a ship's door.

"Come on!"

Walter calls out once more, and Maria hustled through the open door, making sure to keep Ana close. As she could hear the fighting intensify, Walter pushes the door shut and it locks behind them. He punches more codes in, and a clicking noise is heard. Maria turns to Walter as he looks back with a look of relief.

"It's sealed shut. We're safe for now."

Maria takes a few breaths as she hears faint cries of pain and agony from behind the door. She knows that the _kainde amedha _will finish them off and in some way, she was glad about it. Despite those creatures being the ones who killed her mother a long time ago along with I'stih, she instead sees the soldiers eaten by them. It scares her a little on how her mind can think of such things but then again . . . after being trapped for three years in this prison, who knows if anyone would think otherwise?

She hears Ana groan on her side and Maria whips around but keeps her hands on her shoulders to make sure she wouldn't fall.

"Ana . . . are you alright?"

Her friend groans again, but this time, her voice sounded stronger a little, which gave some relief to Maria.

"A little better. Guess the pain in my head is wearing off now . . . I don't feel so good."

Suddenly, Ana slumps against her as Maria sees her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Maria gasps and tries to hold her up, but with her friend's body feeling like dead weight and her body not being as healthy as it should, both fell to the ground. But then, a pair of hands grab onto both of them and lifts them back up with incredible strength. Maria looks up to see Walter had caught them just in time, mostly holding Ana but grabbed onto Maria's arm as well. She had to tell herself that he was a synthetic and has greater strength than any reasonable human being. Still, it did shock her with how strong he really was.

"Are you alright?"

Maria stares into his blue eyes for a moment before she shakes her head and answers.

"Yes, I am. But what about Ana?"

Her focus changes on Ana who is slumped over Walter's forearm like she was some sort of blanket. Walter sees Maria's attention shift to her and moves to get his arm wrapped around Ana's waist.

"She's unconscious but alive. We need to get moving . . . and fast so I'll carry her from here."

When Maria heard that last part, her body tenses at the thought of Walter carrying her dearest friend who was on the brink of death. Although he had done much to prove his trust, that sense of doubt still lingered inside herself. Walter moves to take Ana when Maria grabs him on the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. She glares right into the blue shades of his eyes, making sure he knew how she felt about this.

"I can carry her myself."

Despite showing her emotions as bright as possible, Walter doesn't even flinch for even a moment. That sent shivers down Maria's spine even though she had seen him do that before. Just the thought that someone who looked like a human . . . Talked like a human . . . But didn't feel like one . . . It didn't feel right to Maria.

But just as Maria was about to say something else, Walter grabs her hand in his gently to move it off of his shoulder but keeps it close to him.

"Maria. If I wanted to harm Ana, then I could have done so right from the very beginning. Do you honestly think that I would when she hasn't done anything to me?"

Maria's eyes widened in shock when his words sounded like an average person and not a synthetic. The tone it gave off was one of sympathy and Maria didn't know what to think about it, but she did know that Walter had a point about. He could easily hurt both of them if he really meant it or not help them at all to escape. Sure . . . There was that thing with the master control, but it was the only way to get out of the facility. With no other reason to justify against him, she pulls her hand away and steps back a bit, closing her eyes for a few seconds before opening them and raising one finger at him.

"If you do anything to harm one little hair on her head . . ."

Maria pulls her spear from her back, holding it out for Walter to see. She stares right at him as she squeezes the shaft, extending the ends until it stops. She watches Walter look at the spear before she swings it around to place the sharp tip right at the side of his neck.

"I'll make sure to pierce a hole into your neck for everyone to see."

Both stay still in front of each other, waiting for one to make a move until Walter breaks the ice. He sighs and proceeds to throw Ana onto his back like a piggy-back ride, holding her legs on either side of his hips, keeping his gaze on her.

"I understand."

Right then, Maria can slightly tell that he got the message as she pulls the tip of the spear away from him. She watches as Walter shifts Ana on him to make it easier to move and with one look between them, they take off into the dark path while Maria wonders if the ship that came was indeed the person she loved

Za'taan . . .

[Unknown POV]

He watches from a beam that crossed over the ceiling as the _kainde amedha _kills off the last remaining oomans except one that ran off in the opposite direction only a few moments ago. As he watched the black serpents crawl and sniff to find more prey, the thirst for the hunt was starting to get to him, and his clawed hand rubs on the hilt of his knife that resting on his belt. As much as he wanted to kill off every one of the _kainde amedha_ and show the oomans who was superior, he had a mission to carry out that was given by his Clan Leader.

With that, he lifts his wrist gauntlet to his masked face and works on it. The visual display on the mask shifts from one spectrum to another until he finds the right one. The heat vision one takes over and it so advanced that it can detect heat signatures even from behind a wall . . . As long as it wasn't too thick.

He surveys in the direction where the metal door was and sees three red blotches moving fast through the labs. He looks over them twice before he finds the right one that he's looking for. Turning off the heat spectrum, he stands tall on the beam as his mandibles twitch and click together in planning on how to proceed. For now, he needs to keep it low until he's confident of his target. He clicks once more as he activates the cloaking device, shielding him from view as he extends his wrist blades.

He's got his target and is ready for action.

When he looks down at the many _kainde amedha_ and finds an opportunity, he jumps off the building, letting himself fall down as he points his wrist blades to an unsuspecting _kainde amedha_.

Time to finish this . . . Once and for all.

**Hello everyone! :D**

**Sorry for the slight delay on this. Been a rough week with personal stuff going on along with the end of the school semester on the way. Urg! :(**

**But as promised, a new chapter of Endurance is posted, but this one was a very long chapter together so I split it into two in which the second part will be posted by next week. I hope you love it!**

**So far, Maria is on her way to getting out of Weyland-Yutani facility once and for all with Ana by her side and Walter on her back. But will they all make it out in one piece? Or will more die? Who knows with the **_**kainde amedha **_**now in the mix again. Always have to be in the middle of these things lol. But there's more for Maria to worry as an alien ship begins its bombardment along with a fellow warrior looking for something. **

**What is their purpose for being here? Who is it that is trying to find something? Is it Za'taan coming to Maria's rescue? **

**Find out when Chapter 6 (Escape Part 2) comes along next week. **

**Enjoy! :)))**

P.S. Love the ideas on the new stories from both Mariah and Anonymous-E but will be a while since there are more stories to be done that are listed on my profile but love your reviews. 

Thank you! :))


	6. Chapter 6 (Escape Part 2)

Chapter 6: Escape (Part 2)

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

The darkness of the hallway didn't help much as Maria tried to navigate it with Walter close behind, carrying Ana who was still out of it and swinging from side to side when Walter turns a corner. At first, Maria had no idea where she was going, but it was too late to turn back now, especially with the soldiers and now _kainde amedha _around. All Maria could think was to find the ship and hope Za'taan was there, looking for her. She hoped . . .

Hall after hall, door after door, it was like a maze to Maria, and she was getting fed up with this. They needed to get out, and they can't do that when it's like going in circles to find the exit. While running, she turns back to Walter and shouts.

"Where the fuck are we going, Walter!?"

"Just a little further! We should see a solid door up ahead. Keep going!"

Although Maria was panting hard from the run, she can see that Walter hasn't broken a sweat, even with Ana on his back like dead weight. She shook her head to get rid of these useless thoughts and kept running forward, hoping to find the door that Walter mentioned. If not . . . Then they were fucked. But just as Maria was thinking about it, her eyes caught sight of a large, concrete door that was only a few feet away. Seeing it, it gave a small boost for Maria to run faster and get a few feet away from Walter and Ana. Upon closer inspection, she can see that it had a padlock on the side with a code that she hadn't seen before. It was high tech so whatever was behind the door must be very important to protect.

As soon as her hands were on it, Maria got to work in trying to open the door. However, it wouldn't budge, and he had no idea what the code was to get in. She turns around to find Walter right at her side and so quick. Maria had to keep reminding herself that Walter was a synthetic, so everything he did was unnatural.

Walter gets to her side and goes straight on getting the code for the door. His quick fingers got the light on the padlock to turn green, indicating that they had access now. With that, Maria lightly pushed Walter to the side, carefully making sure not to hurt Ana in the process. She unlatches the lock, and with a groan, the door slowly opens. It was too slow for Maria, so she decided to push it with all her strength. Usually, it would take little energy from her, but with all the years of starvation and torture, her body wasted a lot of energy to get the door a few inches open. In the end, Walter came to her side and pushed the rest of the way, moving Maria through it and closing the door afterward.

"Are you alright, Maria?"

Maria could hear a hint of concern in Walter's voice, but she ignored it, believing it would be a waste of time . . . Time that they needed to escape. So Maria just moved forward into the room that they were in, barely able to see with the little light that was on. It wasn't until Maria took another step that the automatic sensor lights turned on. When it did, Maria gasped at the sight that was before her.

There were several small tubes by the dozens stacked together in rows that seemed endless. The numbers weren't the only things that shocked her but what was inside them. Each container held a facehugger that Maria didn't know if they were alive, sleeping, or just suspended in death. She slowly gets closer to one of the tubes and taps on the glass and the facehugger jolts, making Maria jump backward in defense as she points her spear at it. The facehugger struggles a bit before slumping back into a sort of sleep. She couldn't believe that there were so many in one facility and right under her nose. The anger inside grew from just that thought as she twisted her head back to Walter so fast that one would think her head would come off.

"What the fuck is the meaning of all this!?"

Maria didn't get much reaction from Walter except for his eyes widening in shock for only a few seconds. Her breathing becomes rough as her blood begins to boil but all Walter gave was a small answer that offered minimal comfort or relief.

"I'm not sure. I know that Weyland has been studying the xenomorphs long before you arrived but nothing else. From the looks of it, he's been testing them for something."

Again, Maria didn't like that Walter was giving very little information to go on and it sparked another angry flare inside herself. However, the sound of clanking metal above them took both their attention. Maria looked up for a bit to see where it was coming from and realized horribly that the _kainde amedha _is right on their trail. She suspects that they might be using the ventilation system to get around locked doors and soldiers that were around. She brings her spear up and scraps it over the ground, sharpening it for the inevitable. She looks back at Walter for a moment as he spoke.

"We need to keep moving. The ship should be in the next compartment on the other side."

With no time to waste, Maria turns and sprints forward, keeping her spear high in the air in case there was a sudden attack. After experiencing these black creatures firsthand, Maria couldn't afford to loosen her guard . . . Not now or ever. All three raced through tubes after tubes of facehuggers while trying to avoid knocking one over accidentally. The painful memory of losing her mother . . . Ending her misery with her hand . . . Maria would kill any that tried to escape without a second thought. She wouldn't even want her worst enemies to go through that . . . Well. . . Maybe except for Weyland who has already crossed that line with her. She would love to make him suffer for what he has done to both Ana and herself. But right now, she needed to focus on getting out of here alive and with her friends intact.

After a few moments of endless running, they made it out of the tubes but run into another door that was already wide open. To Maria, it was an alarming sight to see when she noticed massive dents in it that reminded her of sharp claws. She knew it belonged to a _kainde amedha_ since there was nothing else that could make those dents so deep into solid metal. The fear inside began to send chills down Maria's spine as she knew they were very close if not already near but hiding in plain sight. She motions Walter to take Ana through, and he does so without hesitation. After they were clear, Maria thought it best to shut it behind them, and so she pushed with all her might and managed to get it somewhat closed despite being it so heavy.

When she saw the next room, the terror of Weyland's dark secrets kept growing. Instead of tubes filled with facehuggers, the room filled with several cages that seemed designed to trap dangerous creatures. The walls of each enclosure were made of thick glass that Maria figured even a bullet couldn't penetrate. Inside, it was just plain concrete with a massive trap in the middle, designed to lock something in bounds. It was confirmed when Maria looked into the next one that held a _kainde amedha _in the same trap, hissing and trying its best to break free but to no avail. Maria was disgusted by this, unable to comprehend what went through Weyland's mind. Whatever he is plotting, it's never good when involving these abominations along with trying to obtain information about the Yautja.

The scene entirely absorbed her mind that the clanking noise slapped her out of it. Again, it sounded like it was coming from the ventilation shafts, but then, Maria heard hissing right on the ground and her body jolts in alarm. There was a _kainde amedha _nearby, and Maria had no choice but to confront it since the noise came from the direction that they needed to go. She turns to Walter and whispers enough for him to hear but also to stay quiet.

"Find somewhere to hide. I'll take care of this."

Walter didn't move as Maria anticipated, making her frustrated beyond limits and she was tempted to push him out of the way roughly, but she also remembers that he carried Ana on his back.

"But Maria . . . it's dangerous to—"

Walter was cut off when Maria swung her spear right between his eyes, glaring at him with all the anger inside from just him tiring out her patience. The silence grew between the two until Maria leans her head closer to Walter so that he could hear what she had to say.

"Go."

She said it slow but profound, and that is all Walter needed to take off into one of the cages that were empty, leaning down until they were out of sight. Maria turns back towards the direction of the sound, swinging her spear back and forth in a circular motion to get the feeling of it. After all, it had been years since she touched the weapons that I'stih and Ya'stu left behind and she hoped that her skills didn't rust much during her imprisonment here. She lowers the spear and takes her free hand to feel for the knives that were on each side of her hips, making sure in case she needed them. You never know with these creatures . . .

The hissing sound echoed again, and Maria tenses up, getting into a fighting stance with her feet apart and knees bent as she looks forward, bringing the spear back up in front of her. While she did that, she glances back towards Walter who was peeking out from the bottom of the window to the cage. He nods to her in the reassurance that they were safe and Maria nods back. She looks back towards the front, waiting for what seemed like a long time before she caught a glimpse of the black creature's tail slithering across the floor and out of sight. Maria stays right where she is as she anticipates its every move, remembering her training with Za'taan about patience. It was one of the few lessons that she took to heart.

"Come on, fucking bastard . . ."

Maria waits until another hissing sound echoed that seemed closer than the others she has heard. She looks forward into the darkness, and sure enough, the elongated head of a _kainde amedha_ emerges. She growls in the back of the throat, making sure that the creature knew she was there. It hisses in response as its full body comes right into the open, stalking Maria with all the hatred in its features. She could see its teeth bared out and ready for battle, but Maria was too. She points the spear right at it, and when she did, the _kainde amedha _roars and as fast as lighting, sprints towards Maria as its claws dug into the ground.

She waits until the right moment to strike when the _kainde amedha _is close enough to get a fatal spot but just far enough that its blood won't touch her. That thought when one of them jumped on her a long time ago still affected the scar on her shoulder begins to burn. But it was almost a fatal mistake. Maria was distracted for a split second until she heard another hissing just above her and she looks up fast and in some way, glad that she did. Another _kainde amedha_ had crawled onto the ceiling and waited for Maria to lose her focus, dropping down onto her while baring its claws and fangs at her just like the other that was racing to her on the ground. In an instant, Maria managed to dodge it by rolling out of the way and the two _kainde amedha _crash into one another.

Maria gets back on her feet as the black creatures scramble to break free of one another, crying and whipping their tails around in a frantic motion. She takes the opportunity and races towards them, gripping the spear tightly as she points it at the nearest one. However, she was one second too late as one of the _kainde amedha_ breaks free and whips its tail at her. Maria skids to a stop and positions the spear horizontally as the barb of its tail hits the shaft hard. It was enough to throw Maria on her back far from them, and she screams in pain when her back hits the concrete floor. Unfortunately, the end of her head slams down as well, sending a jolt of pain throughout her entire body and down to her toes and fingers. She seethes in agony but shakes it off when a _kainde amedha _charges once more. She rolls out of the way as its claws try to cut into her chest but bury into the floor. Maria sees that its claws were stuck and the black creature scrambles to try and pull it out while hissing at Maria. She growls once more and points her spear at the center of its head. The creature hisses once again in warning, but Maria took it as her chance and so she brings the spear over her shoulder as she readies to throw it.

But just as she was about to release it, the other _kainde amedha _jumps in the air and almost lands on Maria's back. With quick reflex, she turns and launches the spear right into its abdomen. It screams painfully in Maria's ears as it hits the ground and skids to a stop right in front of her. The smell of burning acid filled her nose as the gurgling sounds it made became silent. She takes a deep breath to calm her senses but just as she was about to turn, the _kainde amedha _that was stuck before jumps on her back, pushing her stomach down on the ground.

Maria's instinct kicks in again, and she twists around until she was looking up towards the _kainde amedha_. It hisses at her for a split second until it opens its mouth to reveal its inner jaws. She knew it was going for the kill so without pausing, Maria reaches for one of the knives and swings it around, plunging the blade into the side of its mouth and lucky that it didn't bleed out. The black creature throws its head back in agony and Maria had no choice but to let go of the knife. However, the black creature only became angrier as it looks back down at Maria. She just about to reach for the other knife when the _kainde amedha_ clamps its arms and legs on her own, pinning her to the ground. Maria struggles to release herself, but it was no use. Her body wasn't strong enough, and panic overwhelms her as its inner mouth comes out and ready to pierce her skull.

"Maria!"

The cry that sounded like Ana's draws Maria's attention back to the cage. She sees her best friend struggle to get on her feet while Walter tries to pull her back into the safety of the cage. Maria's eyes widened at the thought that Ana would try to help in her condition and she wanted to scream to get her back inside. Maria turns back to the _kainde amedha _that was coming closer to her head, and she couldn't help but think that this could be it.

She didn't want it to end like this. She wanted to escape and see Za'taan again. To view his beautiful red stripes glowing all over his body . . . To smell his sweet scent of cinnamon in her nose . . . And to see his glowing, red eyes looking at her with all the love he could give her.

Maria can't let this happen . . . Not like this. She won't let it end with her death!

She glares right at the _kainde amedha_, waiting for it to make its attack. Suddenly, the creature is pulled off of her and Maria became confused at what just happened. With the heavyweight gone from her body, she gets back on her feet and looks to see the _kainde amedha _pinned to the wall with some razor-sharp disk in its chest. Maria was baffled at what could have done this, but she has a guess. She has never seen a weapon quite like that but the handiwork is very similar to her spear and knives, and that could only mean one thing . . . A Yautja.

It was confirmed when she heard clicking just behind her, and she froze but not out of fear. It sounded familiar but not really. Maria wondered if it were the person she hoped it would be. Za'taan?

Slowly, she turns around and sees a silhouette that would have been invisible to the untrained eye, but Maria knew better. With a deep inhale, she clears her voice to call out to the unknown figure.

"Za'taan?"

The figure clicked, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Maria calls again, and in response, she hears buttons being pressed and the cloak begins to dissipate. She waits impatiently, opening and closing her hands back and forth to try and calm herself. All she wanted was to leap into his arms and hold him tight. But when the figure finally reveals herself, the warm feeling disappears, and dread takes over.

The figure was Yautja, but it wasn't Za'taan. This person was shorter in height with armor that was rusted on the edges to give it a unique look. His mask had horns protruding from its edges, and when Maria took a big sniff, his scent was that of wood . . . Not the sweet cinnamon she was hoping for. What made this Yautja more different is that one of his dreadlocks was cut in half and looked like two were growing in the same spot. Maria had never seen a Yautja quite like this, and she worried if he was friend or foe.

The Yautja clicks again and tilts his head to the side in curiosity. Maria didn't know what to make of the action until he began to walk towards her. She tenses up and slowly reaches for the other knife, instinct telling her to keep her guard up. The Yautja clicks again, and Maria didn't know what to do. She calls to him once more.

"Who are you?"

Again, the Yautja clicks and moves to press a code into his wrist gauntlet. At first, Maria didn't understand until she heard a recording of her voice.

"_Who are you?"_

She looks back at him with confusion, but then she remembers about what I'stih and Ya'stu told her about Yautja learning the ooman language. Maria figures that this Yautja doesn't understand her and doesn't know how to speak her, so she attempted to communicate further in the hopes of finding out who this Yautja is.

"Friend . . . or Foe?"

Maria spoke slowly and clearly so that the Yautja could get some idea of what she was saying. He goes back to his wrist gauntlet and plays another recording that was fuzzy at first, but one word was clear to Maria.

"_. . . Friend."_

Her eyes widened in surprise at his answer. So this Yautja is not her to fight her but why is he here then? It was a question that was eating inside her. She wanted to ask something else, but the Yautja beats her to it. However, the recording he played next took her by shock and surprise.

_"You've already proven to be a great warrior, and you took down a Queen with only a spear. You have earned your place with me. Remember . . . I will never let you go . . . Maria."_

Her heart beats faster, and her body burned when she heard the familiar voice of Za'taan in the recording. So he knows Za'taan!? That was the only reason Maria could think of cause how else could he have his voice. Maria takes a step forward, and the Yautja comes closer as well until they were only a few inches away. She stares right into his mask and swears that his eyes were on her as well.

"How . . . do you know Za'taan?"

The Yautja clicks and moves his hand to reach her. She freezes in anticipation of what he was going to do. His hand comes closer and closer until it moves to point at her cheek as his claw touches lightly. Maria's eyes widen bigger at what he was pointing at. On her cheek was the mark of the Uhri clan that Za'taan had given her a long time ago. She stays perfectly still as he moves his hand away to move a piece of his armor that was placed on his shoulder. When he does, she lightly gasps as she saw the same mark embedded on his shoulder . . . just like hers. She knew it could only mean that he belongs in the same clan as Za'taan.

She couldn't wait anymore, and the gates inside her mind broke and all her thoughts flooded into words that came out of her mouth uncontrollably.

"Where is he!? Where is Za'taan!? Why are you here?! Why are you attacking the facility and everyone in it!? I don't—"

But she didn't get a chance to finish as the Yautja hits her on the head but just enough to knock her out cold. All she could remember before passing out was Ana screaming her name.

[Raith's POV]

Raith had enough of the female ooman's ranting of questions as his patience was growing thin. He may not understand her language, but the sound of her voice was enough to drive him insane. With a swift hit on her head, he knocks her out cold, and he catches her in his arms. He clicks his mandibles in curiosity at looking at the female ooman that has gotten everyone's attention, including Za'taan of all Yautjas.

She looked so fragile that even a small smack from him, which would only bruise a Yautja just a little bit, knocks the female out cold. Raith could see how thin her body was. How could this ooman possibly kill a _kainde amedha_ when he could easily break her in half? Not many Yautjas could pull off a stunt like she did before he interrupted her. Raith was amazed by her skills during her fight, but he had a mission to complete. He needed to bring the ooman female that carried his clan's symbol back with him, and he's known for getting things done.

He slings Maria over his shoulder and moves to get his disk, her knives and then her spear, placing them in his belt. But just as he was walking off, another voice gets his attention, and he turns to see another female ooman coming but struggling to keep her footing. A male ooman followed hurryingly behind to try and grab her. Raith watched them struggle against each other, but the female was having none of it.

"Maria!"

Raith knew that was the name of the female he was carrying, but he had no idea who these two oomans were so he extended his wrist blades out in defense, growling low but enough to stop the oomans in their tracks. However, he stares right into the female's brown eyes as they show no signs of relenting. He waits as the female calls to him again.

"What are you going to do with her?"

Raith didn't have any obligations to tell the ooman anything, and besides, he didn't know exactly how to answer her. He never bothered to learn how to speak the ooman language so it didn't come to mind that he would use it someday. She wasn't his mission and so was just dead weight if he brought her along. He could see the male behind her was just as concerned as the female but more wanting to get out of there. Raith grunted in annoyance and began to turn around and get out of here when he feels a hand grab onto his arm. Instinctually, he turns and growls towards the female that was holding him, but she doesn't relent. Instead, her grip on his arm got tighter . . . Barely as she stares right through his mask and into his eyes.

"Please . . . She's my friend. I'm not going to leave her."

In that instant, Raith didn't know what was happening as his mandibles twitch a little while his chest began to burn. Whatever this female was doing, he needed to get out of there before all Hell breaks loose. Little did the oomans knew that Raith had planted a bomb into the facility and at any moment would detonate and destroy everything within the area. However, judging by the look in the female's eyes along with the male, they weren't going to let him off the hook just like that. Raith then thinks about what the female on his shoulder would think if he did leave her 'friends' behind. Another problem to deal with . . .

He grunts in frustration and turns towards the female holding his arm and nods followed by a motion of his head to follow. The ooman's eyes lit up in surprise but then relax as she understood his message. She looks back at the male who stood to wait.

"Walter. He wants us to follow him. Help me."

The female reaches for the male and he comes, positioning her to climb on his back. Once she was settled in, the male nods silently and Raith grunts. Without pause, Raith takes off into the direction of where he positioned the ship to be. His was designed with an automatic pilot so that it can stay on while he was out in case of emergency . . . Or a mission like this one.

Raith looks behind and sees that the male ooman was keeping up with his pace, amazing him that such an inferior creature could run that fast, especially with the female on his back. Curiously, Raith gives a quick look to see that she could barely keep her eyes open. She must have gone through a lot or at least he thinks so.

All of them kept running through the facility as Raith checked to make sure no _kainde amedha _or other oomans were following them. He looks back at his wrist gauntlet to see that the ship has moved towards the back of the facility . . . Exactly where he wanted it to be. It was the only area that had the least security, which gives a great chance to escape. As they kept running, Raith sees a large door that had some sign on the top. He had to look in the files that his mask kept to know that it meant 'exit' in the ooman language. It was the way out as so Raith sprints faster towards it. He looks back once more to see the oomans were still on his trail.

But just as he was about to reach it, several ooman soldiers with guns pop out in between them. Raith skids to a stop and roars in anger. He was hoping to get out of here without confrontation with the oomans but no such luck. However, he slightly grinned under his mask as he could see some of the oomans showed hesitation and even some fear. Raith pulls out his wrist blades, and some of them jump from the action. He hears the female and male behind him gasp in horror and grunts in frustration. The ooman soldiers aim their guns, and he's ready to fight until a single male comes through and Raith assumes that it's their leader.

"Finally . . . we have a chance to meet."

Raith growls in response, but the male ooman smirks and Raith wanted nothing more than to rip his head clean off his body and have it for a trophy.

"So you think that you can just come in here and take what is ours? That female on your shoulder belongs to us, and we can't let you take her."

Raith looks towards the side to see Maria still unconscious and hanging on his shoulder. He turns back towards the leader and growls once more. He presses on his wrist gauntlet and replays a recording.

"_We can't let you take her . . ."_

He waits for the leader in responding and all Raith gets is a laugh. He snarls right back, and the leader stops instantly but still grinning at him.

"Sorry, buddy. But we're not going to let you leave. Men!"

On cue, the other ooman soldiers raise their guns at Raith, ready to fire on command. Raith growls and readies his wrist blades, bringing it up to his face along with his other arm. But what they don't know is that Raith begins pressing a code into his gauntlet. The last resort in case something like this happened. He watches the leader raise his hand like a signal, but that is Raith is waiting for. The leader grins one last time as he yells into the air.

"Fire!"

In that instant, Raith taps on his gauntlet, and with that, the wall to their side explodes into a thousand pieces. Everyone, including the leader, drops to the ground to avoid the rubble although there were some unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got crushed. Raith wasn't fazed by it as he knew his ship was going to blast the wall. He does turn around to see the male curl around the female in a protective manner. Despite getting cuts, Raith could see that the male was unaffected by it and no blood could be seen dripping from his wounds. Raith concludes that he must be more than ooman, but he doesn't have time to think about it. However, when he sees the female looking grateful towards the male, his blood begins to boil at sight.

Raith turns towards the hole in the wall and smiles when he sees the outside with his ship hovering near them. With the remaining ooman soldiers barely recovering from the blast, he runs towards the ledge and commands the ship to let down the ramp. When it does, he motions the female and male followers to get in the ship. He watches them run into the ship, but just as Raith proceeded to follow, a bullet ricochets on the ramp right beside him. His head twists around fast and enough for his dreadlocks to swing. When he sees that it was the leader who shot at him with a handgun, Raith growls ferociously. He doesn't need this right now. The leader smirks and points the gun at Raith's head, ready to fire if he made a single more.

"I told you before. You're not going anywhere."

Raith growls once more and pulls his wrist blades out, ready to finish him off right then and there. But just then, his knife flies from his shoulder and goes plunges into the neck of the leader. Immediately, blood splatters out of his throat and the leader gurgles, trying to hold his neck together but it was no use. The ooman was already dead as his body falls to the ground with his eyes glossing over with death. Raith is quite confused about who threw his knife and turned his head to the side, and that is when he realized that the female on his should have woken up. Maria's hand stayed upright as if frozen at that moment. He could see her eyes were filled with fury but also exhaustion. She whispers right by his face but directed towards the dead leader.

"Take that . . . Sergeant Wilson . . . You son of a bitch . . ."

It was the last thing she said before she passes out once more. Raith thrills at how this female could do something like this and without hesitation. He began to wonder if Maria was indeed an ooman since her actions were similar to that of a female Yautja. Ruthless . . .

Raith wonders if he should take a trophy for her kill since he could see that the female showed deep hatred towards the leader . . . Like she had some vendetta. She did earn it after all.

Seeing that he had some time left, Raith walks over to the leader's body. He reaches down to grab the top of his head, and with a quick jerk, he yanks hard and fast. The head comes clean off from the leader's shoulder, and Raith looks at his head to see that it was perfectly intact. He places it in a net and hooks it to his belt, tugging a bit before looking back at the decapitated body. He chuckles a bit and walks up the ramp, pressing on his gauntlet once more to seal it shut.

When it did, the ship begins to take off into the stars and just in time as a blue light shines over the facility. In an instant, the bomb goes off and obliterates everything in its path, leaving a smoking hole in the ground.

Raith would look at the female one last time and wonder if this inferior creature was all worth it.

**Hi Readers!**

**Sorry for the slight delay of this chapter but finally managed to get this written, edited and posted for all of you to enjoy. **

**I have to admit that Maria is a badass and will kill anyone in her line of sight or if you piss her off enough, but now she had made connections with a Yautja from the same clan as Za'taan. Is this her one chance to finally be able to reunite with Za'taan once more? Who is this mysterious Yautja named Raith? And does he have some interest in her friend, Ana?**

**Find out when Chapter 7 comes along!**

**P.S. Due to finals week coming around the corner, I won't be able to post any new chapters for my stories until two weeks. I know that seems like a while but got to focus on my school and then afterward, there will be more surprises waiting around the corner.**

**As for Anonymous-E and Maria, I got your messages on the new stories and hoped that you could wait a little bit until I finish these stories and the others that are following suit. But I hope both of you enjoy these chapters and I thank you for the reviews you post. It gives me the necessary motivation to keep on going. **

**Thank you and Enjoy! :))) **


	7. Chapter 7 (Welcome?)

Chapter 7: Welcome?

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

It seemed like forever, but Maria managed to break out from her long slumber, groaning from the pain. Her whole body felt sore in every fiber of her muscles, but it wasn't as bad as the throbbing pain in her head. She felt like a horse kicked her and then some more. The only thing that was working was her hearing. It wasn't back to normal, but she could still hear a voice that sounded like Ana, but the other voice was more of a clicking sound that reminded her of a Yautja. Whomever Maria was hearing, she knew they weren't an immediate threat by her understanding or else the hunter would have killed them onsite.

"When will she wake up?"

The concerned tone of Ana's voice gave Maria a little bit of strength to at least groan a little, catching the attention of Ana and whoever was with her.

"Maria! Maria, are you awake?!"

Maria tries to call for Ana but nothing. Her body refused to obey, so she attempted to groan again, but this time, it doesn't work. Her mind was cursing herself for being so weak at this precise moment when she had no idea what the fuck was going on or where she was.

"She's not ready yet, Ana. Give her more time."

It was a different voice, but she recognized it as Walter's, but Maria wanted to wake up and ensure that Walter hasn't done anything crazy while she was out. ., which she didn't know how long.

"But she hasn't woken up since we got out of Weyland's clutches! I'm worried!"

Again, Maria tries to call out for them, but instead, her body decides to go back to sleep. Her hearing fades once more but not before hearing a small purr that sounded almost like Za'taan. Oh . . . She wished to see him again. Where is he? But the darkness pulls her back yet again and all Maria could do was comply.

[Hours later . . .]

After some time or whatever time it might be, Maria felt herself getting stronger but wasn't sure if it was just a lie after remembering last time. Still, she decided it was worth trying. First, she checked her eyes and felt them twitch a little. Good news so far . . . She then worked her fingers and sighed in relief when they began to move a little. She could feel her strength returning, and with a little bit of it, Maria finally opened her eyes in a long time.

The blinding light obscured her sight for a couple of moments before they adjusted to it. Maria blinks a few times as her blurred vision clears up. When it does, Maria could see that she wasn't at the facility anymore, and instead, it was something completely different. She stretched her fingertips across a smooth, yet cold, metal bench of some kind. It almost reminded her of a medical table that doctors use in the office except made of hard material. Her eyes look along with the room that was dark with a faint light above her, but as she caught a glimpse of the ceiling, it had engravings of various, red symbols that she had no idea what they mean. However, Maria saw one particular one that was displayed mainly around the smaller ones. The swirl-like pattern got her brain kicking as she realized it was the same symbol that not only was on her cheek but also represented Za'taan's clan.

Maria lunges her upper body fast into the air but immediately regrets it as the throbbing pain in her head explodes along with the ache of her muscles still going strong. She gasps at all the feelings ravaging her body and falls back down on the metal table, trying her best to soften the landing. Her nails dig into her scalp in an attempt to dull the headache, but it did little for her.

But just as she adjusted to dealing with it, a familiar clicking sound catches her attention, and again, Maria rises but takes it slow this time. She turns to her side on the table, and her chest tightens in fear as she faces a familiar Yautja face. Quickly, Maria scrambles off of the table, which was a long drop and almost lost her footing, and hits her back onto a wall that seemed like solid concrete or something. It mattered little as Mara kept her eyes on the male Yautja standing before her.

"Who are you?!"

At first, the strange male didn't respond except take a few steps closer to her, which made her jump into action. Despite the pain that followed, Maria got into the fighting stance that Za'taan taught her so long ago, bringing her fists up and bending her knees to keep a stable posture. The male clicks again and stops in his tracks, staring down at her with his cold mask. It was then that Maria realized who it was after seeing the same horns that decorated the edges, not to mention the unique feature of the split dreadlock dangling off the side of his head. It was the same Yautja that she meant but remembered it was the same one who knocked her out!

"You . . . Son of a bitch. Why did you do that!? Knock me out like that!?"

With anger fueling her, Maria sprints towards the male, intending to at least give him a small whack that would piss him off. However, as she flung her fist at his chest, the male saw it coming and grabbed harshly on her wrist. Maria cries a little since it only further aggravated her already injured body, but the male refuses to let go. Maria scrambles to free herself, but it was like trying to push a boulder off her body. She screams once more at the male.

"Let me go!"

"_Enough . . ."_

Maria freezes upon hearing the familiar voice despite just it being a recording. It sounded like Za'taan! But . . . How? She relaxes underneath his hand as the male slowly lets her go. She backs off a bit while rubbing the bruise that was already forming underneath her skin while looking wide-eyed at the Yautja before her. He knew Za'taan before back at the facility with the recording of my voice . . . And he has the symbol of the Uhri Clan . . . So he must know something about his whereabouts. But just as she about to ask, another thought crosses her mind. Where were Ana and Walter? The last time she saw them was when she heard Ana crying out for her. She turns towards the male with demands on her mind.

"Where is Ana? And Walter? What have you done with them?"

The male turns to his wrist gauntlet, pressing his clawed fingers on its panel and then a recording started to play.

"_Please . . . She's my friend. I'm not going to leave her."_

It was Ana's voice that filled with pleading. Maria had to hold in her tears at the thought of how much her best friend worried for her. She felt regret filling her chest and creating more pain on top of it. Maria closes her eyes a bit to compose herself and then looks back at the Yautja.

"Are they safe?"

The male nods and Maria lets out a sigh of relief. At least they were alright for the moment. Her attention draws back to the Yautja as he makes the clicking sound once more but has no idea what he's saying. She stares at him with confusion until he begins to turn around towards the exit. Maria was about to ask where he was going until he tilted his head to the side to see her and motions his head to point at the exit. When Maria didn't get the signal, the male growls and walks back to her. Before she knew what was happening, the male wraps one arm around her waist and lifts her, placing her over his broad shoulder that didn't help since it covered in armor.

"Ow!"

She wanted to make clear that she didn't like it on top that it sent a prickling pain that flowed from her hips and down her legs, leaving numbness behind. With all of these problems, Maria thought that she must have been through much more Hell than she anticipated. But why it was acting up now . . . She didn't know. But she had more problems to deal with as the male began to carry her out of the room.

"Bastard! Let me go! Right now!"

Maria scrambles to break free of his grip, but it was no use. She felt a vibration radiating from his body as he turned his head to her face and growled ferociously. His cold mask only made it worse for her since she couldn't read his features. The little fear that was buried deep inside Maria started to surface. She had no idea who this Yautja was, or why he was doing this, so the unknown was beginning to scare her. However, she refused to show it off, and with no other option, she let herself dangle over his shoulder as the Yautja turns his head back around and down the hallway.

As the male walked through in silence, it gave Maria a chance to look at her surroundings. Like the room she was in, the hallway had similar red symbols along the bottom and top edges of the walls. It must have taken a lot of effort to make such designs. Looking more closely at them, Maria couldn't help but admire them.

The hallway seemed like it could go on forever, and Maria just wanted to fall asleep. The exhaustion of everything that had recently happened along with the recent pain was taking a toll on her. Her eyes were about to shut close until the male stops in his tracks out of nowhere. Lifting her head a little, Maria looks to see that they were right in front of a large, metal door with a lock placed in the center of it. Maria tightened her eyebrows in confusion as the male began to click again. When he was done, nothing happened for a minute or two until a beeping sound echoed from the lock. Next thing she knew, the door began to creak and slowly open as each part slide across the metal floor and disappear into the walls.

As soon as that happened, the male begins to walk yet again, and Maria remains silent as the scene before her took her breath away.

They entered a substantial dome-like room that she believed could fit several airplanes and still have room to spare. The symbols decorated the top of the dome from each corner until they met right in the center with the same Uhri Clan mark as before. Maria knew that wherever she was, it was the clan Za'taan mentioned. With that, she hopes they wouldn't try to do anything terrible to her. Will they?

Before she could ask, her body suddenly drops to the ground with a considerable thud that reverberated a sound everywhere in the room. She grunts as her ass hurts. She just about to turn back to the male until another voice stops her.

**"So, this is her."**

This time, Maria understood the voice in plain English as her eyes widened in shock. She thought it was Za'taan's voice, but it was way more profound than his . . . And wiser like an old man. She didn't dare to move but kept her eyes staring at the ground, waiting for something to happen.

**"Look at her. A pathetic ooman lies here before us like a scared cockroach."**

**"Behave, Ho'valea. She is my guest, and you know better than to act like that."**

Maria could hear a faint of a growl but didn't seem as sincere as the first voice. Still not wanting to look, she listened to the scrapping of claws on metal going back and forth, but it annoyed her more than being scared. Her ears hated the sound, and the desire to lash out at the unknown person was starting to get the best of her.

**"How is she to help us? If it were up to me, I would have her thrown into space to die like the skinny bitch that she is."**

That sent Maria's anger over the edge, calling her a bitch with a disgusting tone in the voice. Using all of the strength she had, she swiftly raised herself back on her feet and twisting on her feet to stare right at the person who dared to say that.

"How about I show you what a bitch can do, you—"

As soon as she glanced up to look at the person, her mouth clamps down in shock and fear. In front, several Yautjas lined up along the wall like in the military with deadly and yet beautiful armor covering their bodies, making them look like knights from medieval times. All of them had masks so she couldn't quite see their faces, but Maria could feel the tension coming from each one . . . Like they were waiting for something. Their weapons shined in the light as Maria involuntarily reached behind for her spear on her back, but it wasn't there. Shit! Where were her weapons? Maria assumed that they must have taken it when she was out. That sent her blood boiling since she held those weapons so dear. Maria looks back and forth, observing each Yautja in the lineup until her eyes caught sight of stairs leading up to somewhere. Curiosity got the best of her, and she let her eyes wander higher and higher until she stops just as she sees a pair of Yautja feet.

"**Curious . . . is she?"**

The voice came just above her sight, and Maria swallowed a bit of spit before slowly looking up. When she did, her eyes stared right into a pair of golden ones that only belonged to a Yautja that sat upon a massive throne. She was in awe at sight but also in fear out of respect. Whoever was this Yautja seemed like a benevolent leader or something. Maria could see that his dreadlocks were beginning to turn greyish-white from old age, but his body said otherwise. His exposed muscles were solid as a rock, and his armor decorated with so much jewelry that it made him glow and complemented the red cape that flowed over his shoulders and draped on the arms of his chair. His mandibles twitch a little as he brings his hand up to scratch a claw on his cheek.

"**Interesting. She is not as I thought she would be."**

"**That's because you expected too much from an ooman. Why are you so surprised?"**

The same voice that called her a bitch earlier made the male Yautja turn to his side along with Maria. Right next to the throne, a bigger Yautja comes strolling out of the darkness behind and comes to the male's side. Maria could tell that it was female due to having breast along with slimmer body shape. The female comes to the male's side, purring a little as she caresses a clawed hand across the male's cheek. He wasn't even fazed as he gently swatted her hand away, not really in the mood for this sort of thing.

**"The only thing I'm surprised is that you're speaking in the ooman tongue when you clearly showed distaste for their kind."**

The female becomes baffled and steps away slightly from the male. **"Excuse me? I want the bitch to know what I'm saying so that she could shover her ass back to where she came from!"**

The female turns around to glare right into Maria's eyes, but instead of scaring her, Maria's anger grew once more as she got to her feet and glared right back.

"If you have a problem with me, then come and get it."

The female's eyes widened in surprise but went back to anger as she steps forward, drawing a blade from her belt. Maria didn't know what she would do if the female decided to attack, but there's no turning back now. But as quick as it started, it stopped when the male Yautja on the throne grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand back.

"**Enough, Ho'valea!"**

The male growls at the female who steps back a bit when he lets go of her wrist. The male relaxes back into the chair and waves his hand in the air. **"Leave us."**

Maria watches as the female Yautja named Ho'valea glares a little at Maria before going down the steps and heads for another door that lead somewhere else. It slams shut behind her as Maria looks back at the male on the throne.

**"So . . . Your name is Maria. Correct?"**

Maria was stunned at the mention of her name to another Yautja that she hasn't seen before. Her mouths close and open while trying to say something, but all she got were stutters coming from her throat. She stops and clears her throat before trying again.

"Yes. How did you know?"

The male grunts. **"I've heard a lot about you from others but got details that seem to differ to what I see now. Hard to imagine the things you did back on the ooman planet."**

Maria lifts her eyes in confusion as to what he meant by 'details' and such. She decides to speak out towards the male and find out what the fuck is going on.

"Who are you? And where am I?"

But just like that, the Yautjas that were lined up moved in unison as they drew their weapons out in response, making Maria jump. She could see the wrist blades, knives, and spear coming out from each of them and Maria stepped back a bit, trying to figure out why they were so defensive all of a sudden.

The male on the throne lifts his hand in the air and growls, causing all of the Yautjas to back off and return to their original positions and sheath their weapons. Maria sighed a breath of relief since their leader had no intention of killing her. He puts his hand down on the arm of the throne and leans in to get a closer look.

**"My name is Du'rout, and I'm the leader of the Uhri Clan. You're on our ship as we speak."**

Upon hearing his words, Maria's eyes widen a little from the realization that the male in front of her was the leader of Za'taan's clan. Maybe he's here right now? But her mind begins to fill with so many questions that she couldn't contain them any longer and spoke out without warning.

"Where is Za'taan? Where are Ana and Walter? How did I get here? What have you done? I—"

The roar coming out of Du'rout echoed across the room and made Maria, and even some of the Yautjas flinch from it. Maria shuts her mouth fast and steps back in fear that she might have overstepped her boundaries in a place where she had no idea. Du'rout inhales profoundly and lets himself rest on the back of the throne, but she could tell that he was getting frustrated.

**"As I was saying, you were brought here under my command by my second in command Raith. He's the one who carried you here from the ooman planet."**

Raith? Maria turns her head to the side to look behind at the male Yautja that came for her when Weyland imprisoned her and taken from her planet to end up here. She turns back around to face Du'rout once more.

"**He was only to bring you here, but your friends wouldn't leave your side. They must be very loyal to you."**

Maria gasped at the thought that Ana and Walter were with them as she steps closer to Du'rout. "Where are they? Please let me see them."

She watches Du'rout pause for a moment before looking to the side and at an unknown male Yautja, nodding slowly. The Yautja male bows his head and crosses his arm over his chest before walking off through a door that was located on the other side of the stairs. It didn't take long before he walks back out with someone following behind. Maria watches as the male moves to the side, and sure enough, she could see Ana and Walter walking through and into the room. When Ana's eyes make contact with Maria's, both gasp in surprise.

"Maria!"

"Ana!"

Ana runs towards Maria, and she welcomes her best friend with open arms. Their bodies meet, and both wrapped their hands so tightly that they were squeezing the breaths out of each other. Maria could hear Ana's cry as her body began to slump to the ground a little. She had to hold on tightly to her best friend to keep her from falling. Moments later, they release each other from their grasps but kept their hands on each other's shoulders. Maria could see that Ana's eyes were dripping with tears, but they were happy ones due to the smile on her lips.

"Maria. I'm glad that you're finally awake."

Maria smiles. "As am I."

A cough breaks their moment, and Maria looks behind to see Walter strolling along with a genuine smile on his face. After everything that Walter has done, Maria began to feel a sense of trust in him, so she lets go of Ana and stares right at Walter, smiling while nodding her head.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

All three of them glanced at each other as if nothing else existed around them. However, Maria was pulled back into reality as Du'rout grunts to catch their attention. Maria, Ana, and Walter look right back towards him as Du'rout shifts in his seat.

"**Enough of that. We have more pressing matters to attend. After all, I didn't bring you all here, just for a reunion."**

That didn't settle well for Maria as she turns towards Du'rout and grunts in annoyance, glaring right into his eyes so that he knew how she felt.

"And what is the reason exactly?"

Du'rout didn't answer her and instead, glanced at Raith who came to Maria's side without her noticing. Du'rout begins to make a clicking noise, so Maria assumed that he was back to the Yautja language. Raith watches, and after Du'rout finishes, he bows in respect and walks off into one of the doors from earlier, disappearing as it closes behind him. Maria turns back to Du'rout who sighs heavily, and she could see that something was troubling him. Maria steps forward until she was by herself in the middle of the dome-like room, looking up to the leader as she speaks.

"Tell me. Why are we here?"

She speaks with determination and stares right into his golden eyes as his mandibles tighten together as if contemplating to tell her what their reason is for doing so. After moments pass with both sides being silent, Maria straightens herself as Du'rout rises from his throne and tilts his head to the side a little before going back up.

"**I need your help."**

Maria tightens her eyebrows together and feels confused at his answer. "With what?"

Then, Du'rout starts to descend from his throne and down the stairs slowly but still keeping eye contact with her. Maria remains still but glances back to ensure Ana and Walter are alright. She could see the fear and concern in both of them, but she remains strong so they wouldn't have to worry. Maria looks back at Du'rout who had finally made it to the bottom but stopped there. His cape sweeps back and forth until it stops and Du'rout takes one huge breath before speaking.

"**It's a matter of importance to the future of my clan and . . ."**

He pauses for a second while glancing down to the ground and Maria could see that whatever he was going to say must be hard for him to say. But whether it's because he's asking an ooman for help or it's more personal . . . she didn't know as Du'rout looks back to her.

"**Unfortunately, only you can help me in this matter."**

Still, Maria was confused at his request and was about to ask more until one of the doors opens abruptly. Everyone in the room looks in the general direction as the tension in the air begins to build. For some reason, Maria's heart started to pound in anticipation of what was coming. It scared her a bit, but it wasn't entirely the reason why she was so nervous. Soon, it is Raith who comes through the door, and that made Maria slump a little. Somehow, she felt disappointment.

But then, she hears another pair of footsteps following behind Raith, and soon, a shadowy figure pops from behind, but she can't see their face. The shadow's frame was massive compared to Raith, and much bulkier is she might add. Still, Maria remained focused as the figure comes out of the darkness and into the light.

When the figure finally emerges, Maria gasps and her eyes widen in shock but also surprise. Her heart races at a phenomenal rate while every fiber of her being begins to tingle. She couldn't move, and all she could do was open her mouth and call out a single name.

[Unknown POV]

The male sits upon a large bed as he twirls a knife back and forth, inspecting it for any damage from his training. Although he had been training for what seems like a long time, his mind was focused elsewhere as he looks up through his window and into the dark space of the universe.

It was boring, and the male decided to get some sleep in the hope of having some 'normal' dream for once, but with his luck, it won't happen. He stands up from his bed and places his knife on the small table across from him, also glancing at his various weapons in hand. But just as he was turning around and about to fall onto the bed, a call from the door stops him in his tracks.

"_What do you want?"_

The male growls at the visitor, not wanting to have company right now but instead, the door opens up, and the male grunts in annoyance as Raith comes strolling in like he owned the place. It made him sick, but he's second in command, and he can't exactly fight him at this time.

"_Still sulking in here as usual?"_

"_Shut up! It's not my desire to be in here after all."_

The male moves towards Raith and puts his face inches from his. Their mandibles touch each other every time they moved, but the male didn't care since Raith didn't even flinch at the action. He knows that whenever Raith comes in, it's usually for business and not a social call. Raith grunts and walks back to the open door.

"_You have been summoned by the Clan Leader. Come on."_

Raith walks out of the room and the male growls in annoyance. He didn't want to meet the leader to hear the same excuse over and over again for hours. He didn't want to waste his time, but then yet, he knows that refusing the order will end him in a worse situation than what he was in now and dressed in nothing but a plain loincloth and metal sandals. Like it's not already bad as it is . . .

The male sighs and walks out of his room to follow Raith to the meeting room. The hallway was always the worst part for him since he could bump into someone whom he didn't like or wanted to pick a fight for some random reason. It's an area he always wanted to avoid, but it's inevitable, and he didn't want to be seen as a weakling. The male shakes his head to get rid of the thoughts as he catches up with Raith so he could ask what was going on. Not like he even cared anyway.

"_Tell me, Raith. What does the 'Clan Leader' want now with me?"_

"_I'm not allowed to tell you until we get to the meeting room."_

"_Do you always follow your orders every day."_

"_I obey my leader no matter what. Just come one."_

Raith picks up the pace, forcing the male to pick it up as well. After some time, Raith stops just in front of the door that leads to the meeting room. He calls out with a loud voice.

_"Second in command requests access to the meeting room."_

Just like that, the door begins to creak open and eventually, opening up entirely to the meeting room. The male rolls his eyes at the thought of another lecture like before. If it were his decision, he would be out of here before anyone would suspect it, but he has no choice. He waits as Raith walks into the room with part of it shrouded in darkness. After Raith was clear from his sight, the male takes his turn and steps forward and into the meeting room.

At first, it all looks the same as he looks to his side but becomes confused as he sees Du'rout standing at the bottom of the stairs and not on his throne as usual. Something was going on in here, and the male became more concerned as he walked further in. He sees the many Yautjas in a line along with Raith who went to Du'rout's side and stood firm as a second in command should do.

The male keeps walking as he turns his gaze into the middle of the room and notices a lone figure standing there. His mandibles click together to try and figure out who this person was, so he got a little closer until he finally emerges from the shadows.

And when he did, time around him froze and stood still . . .

Right in the middle of the room, an ooman female stood tall as their eyes met each other. Those brown eyes brought back sweet memories from a time that seemed so long ago but now passed by in a blink of an eye. He heard the female gasp in surprise, but it was a sweet sound to him. He didn't think that this moment would ever come and he worried that this might be a hallucination that his mind created.

At that moment, the male decides to call out, and with a deep breath, he lets his voice come through.

"**Maria . . ."**

The female gasps again as she takes a single step forward with her hands out to her sides to keep her balanced. When her voice calls out in response, his chest burns with a flame that was strong and true as he realizes that the woman he loves was right in front of him.

"Za'taan . . ."

**Hi Readers!**

**Wow! The moment has finally come and for those who have read Break Free and Endurance so far knows what I'm talking about! (It's getting hot in here . . . so take off all your clothes :D)**

**With this, will everything become a happy ending? There is still some tragedy and horror awaiting this story, but what will it be? And what is Du'rout's purpose for bringing Maria and her friends here on the Uhri Clan's ship?**

**Find out when Chapter 8 comes next week!**

**P.S. Since my semester is over, I'll be making it my goal to post new chapters for Metamorphosis on Wednesdays and Endurance on Fridays (will post changes on my Instagram account in case of emergencies). For Nexus, it will be every other week unless changes happen but don't worry, my stories will keep on continuing. **

**Also, thank you, Maria, and Anonymous-E for the reviews. They help me in my writing, and I appreciate the time you take to write your reviews. As for Anonymous-E, I got your notes from the last one about the Bad Blood. I wanted to clarify if it's indeed for the story you requested for me.**

**Again, thank you all for the support and enjoy! :)))) **


	8. Chapter 8 (Reunited)

Chapter 8: Reunited

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Za'taan's POV]

His mind became scrambled and out of control at the sight of Maria right in front of him. Seeing her beautiful, brown eyes glow at him sent a warm feeling from his chest that spread through his fingers and toes, making them tingle. Right then and there, nothing else existed except her . . . The very person who stole his heart and he would gladly let her do it again.

He sees Maria begin to walk towards him but her feet gave way and she stumbles down onto her knees, writhing in pain. Za'taan sees this and involuntarily rushes to her side. But before he could, several of the guards blocked his path with their weapons out and ready. Za'taan growls at this and begins to push himself through the line.

"_Let me through, or else you'll regret it!"_

He roars with all of his might, but the guards don't budge, remaining as still as statues. Za'taan was beginning to lose his temper, and it almost broke loose when he heard Maria groaning as he looked back to see her trying to stand up. From the look in her eyes, he knew Maria was struggling to hide her suffering, and he desperately wanted to run to her. He glared right at the guards and reached for his knife, ready to embed it on the first one who dared to stop him.

"_Za'taan!"_

The roar from his father, Du'rout made him turn towards him, determined to vent his anger on the next Yautja, and Du'rout was next. That is until Du'rout glances at the guards and eaves his hand.

"_Let him through."_

On command, the guards moved their formation to create two lines that opened a path to Maria. Without hesitation, Za'taan drops his knife and runs as fast as his legs can carry him, reaching for her until at last . . . their bodies joined together after so long. He gently wraps his arms around her while he could feel her fingers clawing at his back, but he didn't care. It was a reassurance that Maria was here with him. Za'taan presses his face into her shoulder and purrs, rubbing his hands up and down her back. He feels her face pressing harder into his chest, making him purr louder for everyone to hear.

After what seemed like an eternity, Za'taan slowly pulls his head back to look deep into her brown as she did the same. He could see that the light in them still burned brightly, but also, he saw pain and sorrow within them. Something that he hadn't seen in such a long time.

"**Maria."**

He calls for her once more, and Maria smiles a little in response. "Za'taan . . ."

But then, he noticed her eyes began to droop while her body swayed back and forth. Before he could contemplate on what she was doing, her eyes roll into the back of her head, and her body turns into dead weight. If it weren't for Za'taan who held her tightly to his body as they fell to their knees, Maria would have flopped all over the ground. Her limp body rests in Za'taan's arms, and that is when he noticed the physical changes on her. The last time she had seen Maria, she was healthy, strong and beautiful in her prime but now . . . It was like he could snap her arm like a toothpick since there was barely any muscles there. Her legs reflected the same treatment, and Za'taan had to wonder what happened in the three years they have been apart. As he inspects her body, he noticed a red spot on her wrist that was popping out from the hideous gown she wore that itched his skin. He moves the cloth away, and that is when he saw the massive abrasion that wrapped around her whole. His eyes widened in shock, and he takes a peek at her other wrist and sees the same thing. That's when his anger finally set off.

Za'taan turns to glare at his father, the only Yautja he could point the finger. _"What have you done to her?!" _

Za'taan's red eyes burn like a ravaging fire as Du'rout is unfazed by his reaction, straightening himself to stand tall. _"I have done nothing. She was like that when Raith brought her to us."_

"_Raith?"_

Again, Za'taan's shifts his anger at Raith who stood like an emotionless statue at him. Za'taan opens his mandibles slowly and in a threatening way. A menacing growl seethes out from his throat to the point that it begun to burn the inside of his mouth but he ignored it, focusing solely on Maria's attacker.

Raith didn't flinch and instead, moved closer to Za'taan but only for a moment. _"I did nothing as well. I suspect that the oomans who imprisoned her must have done it, so I suggest you ease your anger until we figure this out."_

With that, Za'taan relaxes slightly, knowing too well that it wasn't like Raith to lie about something like this. His brother-in-arms does annoy him, but he's too honorable to stoop so low to that level of deceit. Only Bad Bloods would try and pull a stunt like that. Za'taan looks back at Maria who remains unconscious but still taking shallow breaths. But then, his attention diverts to the side of the room, and that is when he noticed Ana and some other male ooman with her.

"**Ana. You're here too?"**

Maria's friend smiles and waves in an awkward manner. "It's nice to see you again, Za'taan."

Za'taan smiles a little for greeting. It was shocking to see Ana here as well, but he was glad, nonetheless, to see a familiar face with Maria. However, he glances at the male ooman next to her and instinctually, he growls at the male who doesn't even flinch at the sound. A normal ooman, who hasn't seen a Yautja before, would have either curled up in fear or run away to save his life. The blue-eyed male looks at him with peaked interest, and Za'taan didn't like that look as he had seen it too many times.

Before he could ask Ana about him, he hears footsteps coming to his side, and Za'taan whips around to growl right at whoever was coming. He stops when he sees Du'rout standing over him with a curious look, pointing out with the Yautja tongue.

"_You care for her? Don't you?"_

Za'taan growls. _"Why would I lie about this?"_

He watches his father tilt his head to the side, pausing to close his eyes in focus and bringing it back while letting out a sigh.

"_It doesn't matter anymore. She's here now, so that means you will continue your duties as you should have been since three years now."_

That ticked off Za'taan a little bit but his concern for Maria's well-being as he looks down at her with her eyes closed in sleep. She must have been through so much . . . Za'taan twists his arms to have one underneath her knees and the other wrapped underneath her neck. Once secured, Za'taan rises to his feet with Maria in his arms, keeping eye contact with Du'rout and not liking the statement he spoke only a moment ago. He knows it's his father's doing to string Maria back to him but for what reason? It was a mystery that he was determined to resolve at another time. He turns around and makes his way towards the exit.

"_Where do you think you're going?"_

Za'taan doesn't turn around and keeps walking, but he answers Du'rout nonetheless since it would be disrespectful not to do so for a Yautja of higher rank than his.

"_I'm taking Maria to rest for a while. She needs to get her strength back."_

Du'rout doesn't say anymore after that in which Za'taan thinks his father knows it would be pointless to argue with him at this time. Right as he steps just in front of the door, he stops and turns to look at Ana and the mysterious male ooman.

"_What are you planning to do with Ana and the other ooman?"_

He kept his eyes on Ana and can see the confusion in them. It's understandable since they have no idea what they were speaking in the Yautja tongue and those who did prefer not to do so around others. It would make them look weak to stoop so low to talk a prey's language. Yautjas seems too prideful, and Za'taan looked back into his memories and realized that he was just the same as them . . . Until Maria came along.

Za'taan waited for Du'rout's answer as his father grunted behind him. _"Since they know your ooman lover, they will have a separate room in the very back of the ship where it is away from the others for now." _

He hears his father click his mandibles together and calls for one of the guards to step forward. _"Take the oomans to the room."_

"_I'll take them."_

A lone voice grabs the attention of Za'taan and everyone else in the room as they look in surprise at who responded, including Du'rout himself who is the only one to ask.

"_Why, you, Raith?"_

Za'taan turned towards Raith and noticed something in his demeanor that has changed if only subtle. He observed that Raith's muscles began to tense but wasn't sure if it was due to nervousness or tiredness. Either way, he has never seen Raith act like that. He couldn't get a good look at his eyes since his face was to the side, but he could smell something was up with him. Du'rout can sense it as well but wait patiently for Raith's response.

"_They wouldn't trust any other Yautjas to escort them. To not drive them into a panic, they need someone that they already know to take them. As Za'taan is taking care of his mate, I'm a perfect choice."_

Za'taan couldn't believe at the words that came from Raith's mouth. It was becoming unlike him to take oomans of his own free will. From the history of knowing his father's second in command, he hated them so to see this happen in front of him; something must have changed.

Du'rout also looks equally surprised, but as Clan Leader, he composes himself and closes his eyes while rubbing his chin with his clawed fingers to think. After what seemed like forever, Du'rout opens his eyes and addresses Raith.

"_Do as you wish."_

With that, Raith bows his head towards his leader and walks over to where Ana and the male ooman stood. Za'taan glances for a few seconds to make sure that Maria's friends were alright in Raith's care. When Ana looks back at Za'taan and smiles while bowing her head slightly, it gave him the signal to walk out of the room and back to his own where it was private enough for Maria to rest. With no pause, Za'taan exits the room and follows the familiar path back to his room. All the while, he glances down to see the calm expression on her face, as if this was the first time . . . in a long time . . . That she got such peace, he purrs in response and grips her tight enough to keep her close.

After going through the hallway, he sighs when his door came into his sight and presses on the panel to give his access. It lights up green and opens but not fast enough, so Za'taan rushes through the slit between and moves on. His room, despite only being standard compared to other Yautja rooms, it contained a large, open area for training alone while the walls held shelves that held his trophies on one and armor on the other. The bed resides in the far back of the room, and Za'taan liked it that way but mostly for the advantage of ignoring knocks from others who wanted to bother him with nonsense. For this case, it helps to give Maria peace.

He goes around to the side of the bed, and when his knees touch the edge, he unwraps his arms from Maria and slowly placed her down on the bed, careful as to not hurt her any more than she already is. After getting settled, Za'taan grabs onto one of the fur blankets folded on the edge of the bed that he never bothered to use. An old habit of sleeping on the ground when he would be out on lone hunts.

Finally, Za'taan takes a much-needed breath when he looks down at his careful handiwork in caring for Maria. He watches her chest rise and falls each time she took a breath, but then she would wince once in a while, soon followed with her body becoming as hard as a rock with her face tightening as if in pain. Za'taan got worried and placed a hand to cup her cheek lovingly. It relaxed her straight away, but it did little to ease Za'taan's worry for her.

He takes the opportunity to access her body for injuries that he didn't see before. Other than her wrists, he moves his hands to pull her clothing slightly off her body and what he found sent his blood to boil. Her back covered in cuts that barely have time to heal. The bruises discolored her soft and beautiful skin, and it took all of him not to tear something apart. He settled for the fur blanket, and his claws dig straight through with little effort, creating puncture holes on it. Za'taan closes his eyes tightly to stop himself from losing control and doing something reckless, especially now that Maria just returned to him. He places her clothing back on her body and caresses her cheek, allowing his fingers to glide up the side of her face and take a small strand of hair in his hand. He rubs it against his skin, and he purrs yet again, but he knew it would do little to help her.

"**What did they do to you, Maria?"**

The agonization in his voice echoes in his head and Za'taan pulled away from Maria, moving it back to his side and into his fists. He felt his blood pouring from his hand as he brings it up to see that he wounded himself. Shaking his head furiously, Za'taan turns around and rushes out of the room, determined to find out who did this.

Za'taan power walks through the halls to find his designated target but with no luck since Raith wasn't residing in his room. Undeterred, he keeps going through the hallway while passing other Yautjas until he caught a glimpse of Raith talking to Ana in front of an open door. Za'taan had to take a double take when he saw Raith acting respectful towards Ana, bowing his head towards her as any Yautja would to another. He saw Ana turn her face away but not out of disgust but rather in a way that Maria did when they started to feel something between them. It was unexpected, but Za'taan has other things to worry about at that moment. He waits until Ana heads into the room and closes the door before approaching Raith. Their eyes make contact, and Raith merely grunted in annoyance as Za'taan approached.

"_What do you want now, Za'taan?"_

"_Tell me what happened."_

Za'taan answers quickly but he becomes frustrated when Raith looks at him in confusion. _"About what?"_

Not wanting to wait any longer plus the fact that his anger was going into overdrive, Za'taan grabs the edge of Raith's chest armor and slams him into the nearby wall. In retaliation, Raith growls fiercely, but Za'taan matches it with his own.

"_What the pauk (fuck), Za'taan!?"_

"_Don't play dumb with me! Who or what cause those bruises on Maria!? You were the last one who interacted with her!"_

"_I have no idea! She was like that when I found her at that ooman factory!"_

Za'taan became more impatient and shoved Raith further into the wall, making a crack in it despite being made of metal. _"What factory!?"_

Before he could get an answer, Raith took the opportunity and twisted his body in a way that forced Za'taan to let go. In an instant, Raith shoves Za'taan away from him and pulls out his knife as a means to defend himself. Za'taan stood there but didn't relent from the situation, roaring enough to grab the attention of other Yautjas that decided to bail out so they wouldn't be caught up in the case and get killed unintentionally. Both Raith and Za'taan ignored it, entirely focused on each other.

Although his anger didn't dull for even a second, Za'taan took a moment to calm himself down long enough to ask Raith again in a slightly calmer matter.

"_Tell me. Who was it?"_

He waits as Raith tightens his mandibles together, contemplating if he should tell him. After shaking his head, Raith stares back at Za'taan.

"_Weyland-Yutani Corporation."_

Upon hearing those pauking (fucking) words, Za'taan freezes in shock as someone hit him with an electric pole. He backs up from Raith and looks at him wide-eyed and disbelief.

"_Those pauking (fucking) oomans that have been trying to track us down?"_

Raith brushes off his armor to get rid of anything that Za'taan may have put on him. _"No, doubt. I figured that there the ones who did that to your ooman mate, but you don't have to worry about them."_

Za'taan lifts his eyes in confusion. _"How so?"_

"_I planted a bomb in their facility and took off before it exploded. Whoever was in the blast radius was destroyed, and I'm sure none of them had time to escape."_

"_Except you, Maria, and the others."_

Raith nods. _"She's safe for now. You should get your mate something to eat and drink. I'm sure she'll want something after the long trip along with being asleep."_

Za'taan felt a little reassured that everything had been taken care of before he left the ooman planet. He knew Raith wasn't the type of Yautja who lie about something as petty as this. Nodding in approval, Za'taan makes his way past Raith's side and heads down the hall to where the food is prepared. But then, he stops and looks back at Raith who does the same.

"_Something on your mind?"_

He sees Raith giving him the 'what the pauk (fuck)' expression but in a subtle way. _"What could you possibly mean?"_

"_What is your interest in Ana?"_

Za'taan got a reaction that he didn't' expect would come to Raith. Instead of the neutral expression, he would get, Raith, shuffled his feet as if embarrassed by something. His facial expression didn't reveal much except Za'taan could see his pupils dilate in the slightest. But Raith composes himself quickly and answers just as fast.

"_She's an ooman and holds no interest except her skull as a prized trophy, which is unfortunate since she's a friend of your mate."_

Raith comes closer and puts his face a few inches towards Za'taan's. Both stay like this for some time, glaring at one another before Raith backs off.

"_Take care of your mate. She'll need all the protection she can get."_

With that, Raith turns around and walks away, leaving Za'taan to wonder what happened in front of him. He shakes his head roughly enough to make the bands in his dreadlocks cling together and continues his journey to get everything ready for when Maria wakes up.

[Raith's POV]

The talk with Za'taan had tugged on a few strings inside himself, particularly some that concerned anger, frustration, and something else he couldn't pin on exactly. He shuts his eyes closed and presses his eyelids in an attempt to remove the conversation out of his head. He can't concern himself with the female that he strung along for some reason or another. Right now, he needed to meet with Du'rout about a meaningful manner that was received only a few hours ago. Raith quickens his pace as he made his way towards the private meeting room that was secluded from the one before.

He made it to the door at the end of the hallway and called out for access. _"This is second-in-command requesting access."_

A mechanical voice speaks from the door. _"Come in."_

On cue, the door opens up, and Raith takes steps forward and through, looking back to make sure no one followed him as the door closes behind. He keeps walking down a small lit hallway with engravings of their clan's achievements throughout time and space and that of their ancient stories still being told to this day.

Raith keeps on going until he hits another door, making him groan in annoyance. He knew it was important security in case the ship was being taken over by the enemy and that this door is meant to allow only the highest ranking Yautjas to enter, making it impossible for others to access it. He stops in front of the door and looks down at the panel containing a handprint scan. Raith places him on the panel, and it hums to life, scanning back and forth until it lights up green and the door begins to open. As soon as they open, Du'rout's familiar voice calls out as Raith makes it in.

"_You have arrived, Raith."_

Raith stops to bow and crosses his arm over his chest for a few moments and straightens himself out to get closer to Du'rout. The private meeting room is much smaller than the other one, only having a small throne on the ground with Du'rout sitting on it. He saw no one else in the room, so it raised some suspicion since Du'rout never met anyone without extra protection. But then again, his Clan Leader is not to be tricked or messed with by anyone. He moves into the center of the room and kneels in front of Du'rout.

"_You summoned me?"_

He looks up as Du'rout stands from his chair and puts his chest out in pride as Clan Leader. _"Yes, I have. It's something to do with the facility that you picked up the oomans."_

"_Weyland?"_

Du'rout nods, moving closer to Raith. _"Yes. It appears that not all of them have been destroyed."_

That sent some anger off inside of his chest, but he does his hardest to keep it contained, reminding himself that he needs to pay attention. The entire reason for the bomb was to annihilate all evidence of existence along with enemies that pose a threat to their species if they discovered the Yautjas. To have a bomb not able to care of it all makes the Yautja who set it look like an idiot or even a failure. Raith didn't want anyone to know that so he speaks out towards Du'rout.

"_I feel ashamed for not completing my mission. I would like permission to—"_

"_That won't be necessary."_

Raith looks up in surprise at Du'rout, trying to see what his leader was thinking but that is like trying to squeeze water from a stone. _"I've already sent someone to look out, but that is not the major problem I wanted to discuss with you."_

Raith tilts his head a bit as he stands up on his feet, curious about what 'problem' they had to deal with. _"What is it?"_

He watched as Du'rout drops his gaze to the ground and shifts his legs, so they have spread apart like military style. Du'rout comes closer to Raith but stops when he gets a few feet in front of him.

"_One of the oomans has some signal coming from them, but their items didn't contain anything like that, so we suspect that something was implanted in one."_

"_How so?"_

"_We had the healers come to check on the oomans, including Za'taan's female but it was only for a quick checkup. However, one of them noticed a scar on the side of the ooman's skull that showed it was added surgically. It might be the thing that's causing a ruckus in the pilot bay."_

"_But what does this have to do with me? Why not ask Za'taan?"_

Raith watches Du'rout grunt in frustration as he rubs the middle of his temple, pinching it every so often. He does this for a few more minutes before dropping his hand and looking back at Raith.

"_It's not his mate. It's the other female."_

Raith's body tenses for a moment at the news. _"Really?"_

Du'rout slowly nods and comes closer towards Raith. _"Yes. So as soon as possible, we need to operate on the female to see what we are up against. It will be easier if you were there since the oomans trust you a little more than anyone else and I don't know if Za'taan is stable enough to do it."_

Raith lowers his gaze down towards the ground, contemplating on how it came to this. The mission to get one ooman back to help Za'taan has become quite the hassle and phenomenon. However, deep inside himself, he wasn't entirely upset as he would be when he was younger. Whether it's from age or experience on hunts, he wasn't sure.

His thoughts were interrupted when a firm hand presses on top of his shoulder, and he gazed up to see Du'rout staring back at him with a faint light in his eyes.

"_Raith. You are the only one I can trust to do this. It might ensure our clan's survival for the future ahead."_

Raith doesn't answer but remains still as his leader inches close. _"I leave it to you . . . my son."_

It had been a while since Du'rout called him as such, but it didn't surprise him. Raith knew it was only to ensure trust in himself to do the task effectively. Both Yautjas stare into the other as the unknown fills the room with silence.

**Hi Readers!**

**Finally! The two love birds . . . Maria and Za'taan . . . have reunited after three years but is there another romance sprouting beyond the pair? Also, it's revealed that Raith is also the son of the Clan Leader and a brother to Za'taan but what is his role in all of this? Especially with the cold response of being called 'son' by his father? And is there survivors of Weyland-Yutani that might be lurking out there to harm Maria and the others?**

**What juicy things are coming around the corner and I'm sure you know what I mean. ;)**

**Find out the secrets hidden in the shadows when Chapter 9 comes next week!**

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, Deidara and Paul Lenzen for the fantastic reviews. It helps me a lot, and I hope you all continue to enjoy my stories.**

**Enjoy! :))))) **


	9. Chapter 9 (Time Together)

Chapter 9: Time Together

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

**WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk! **

[Maria's POV]

Maria grunts in pain as her body begins to awaken from its long slumber in which she had no idea how long. She weakly opens her eyes but shuts them fast when the light became too intense for her. Although she couldn't move much, she lifts her hand to block it until her sight adjusted in a short while. She takes a few blinks until she had the bravery to open them once again, fearful of the blinding light. Maria did become scared but not from the first but rather realizing where she was.

She looks down to see that she laid on a large bed that she thought a dozen people could fit comfortably. A beautiful fur blanket covered her body, almost glowing with its shine from the light browns mixing with the dark. She couldn't help but admire its beauty.

Maria turns her attention back to the room and noticed it wasn't the same one that she remembered. Instead of the vast space with stairs and a throne in front of her, the room was smaller and had several metal cabinets standing on the sides. She moved her sight back and forth across the room and saw weapons hanging from hooks and standing on pedestals. Wanting to get a closer look, Maria tried to lift herself from the bed but a sharp pain radiated through her spine, causing her to yelp in agony and fall back onto the bed. It got worse when she landed and wondered what had happened to her when she was out.

She shifts through her memories and tries to figure out what happened in the last few moments before she blacked out. Maria recalled talking to some Clan Leader named Du'rout with several of his guards standing by. Her blood boils when she remembers that fucking Yautja . . . Raith or something . . . That hit her on the head and then carried her like she was a sack of potatoes, inconsiderate and rude, and if she had it her way, hard smack on his head was more than what he deserved.

Shaking her head, Maria dug more in-depth in her head and realized that she almost fell to the floor but knew that a pair of strong arms held her close. Her head begins to throb, but she pushes forward until she remembers the smell of faint cinnamon enveloping her nostrils. With that, her eyes widened in shock and pushing through the pain; Maria gets back up with her upper body lifted into the air.

"Za'taan!"

Maria scrambled out of bed but fumbled off the side, landing on the side of her hip and she lets out a grunt through her teeth that were shut tightly together. She reaches for the bed and grabs hold of the fur blanket, clawing her way back up. Her legs were having a hard time obeying her commands, and it felt like walking on feeble sticks that could break at any moment. Now, she wondered what had happened to her. She wasn't this weak before so she figured that the adrenaline has some part in keeping her steady. Either way, it didn't matter to Maria as she solely focused on finding Za'taan.

Shaking, Maria finally manages to get on her feet but didn't dare to move a step forward in fear that she'll fall and won't get back up again. She calls one more time and as loud as her lungs allowed.

"Za'taan!"

As soon as she spoke, the creaking sound of a door opening caught her attention. Maria turns towards the door in the far wall and waits anxiously, making her heart race at a thousand miles per hour. The metal door stops, and a figure emerges from behind. With how the lighting is placed, she couldn't see their face, but it didn't matter as the familiar smell of cinnamon reached her and she moaned quietly, closing her eyes while inhaling that intoxicating smell.

"Za'taan."

His form finally comes through the shadows and seeing the red stripes over his arms gave her confirmation that it wasn't a dream. She slowly opens her eyes, and those red, burning eyes met hers, seeing the same light in them from so long ago.

"**Maria! What are you doing?!"**

The concern in his voice pulled at her heartstrings, but she doesn't move an inch, believing that if she did now, he would disappear. Za'taan stares at her for a few seconds before carefully rushing over to the side of the bed where she was. Maria noticed he was carrying a metal tray with assortments of food as he places it on the edge of the bed without the care in the world. Some of the food falls off of the bed, but Za'taan speeds to Maria and wraps his arms around her frame gently. Instinctually with need, Maria does her best to wrap her own around his waist, digging her nails into the sides of her back. She presses her face into his tight chest and takes a huge whiff of his smell once more. Maria sighed in delight, but in doing so, her body loses its strength, eventually making her legs and arms feel like jello.

Maria begins to fall, but Za'taans arms hold her up, lifting her in bridal style and carrying her back to bed while growling in frustration.

"**What were you thinking, Maria? You're still not at full strength yet."**

He moves to lay Maria back down on the bed, pushing the fur blanket away in the process. Maria whines as he does this, unable to do anything else to grab his attention.

"I got worried since you weren't here. I feared that it was all a dream."

With that, she tenses as a clawed hand gently caress her cheek, and the heat warmed her all body with a simple touch. She looks up to see Za'taan's red eyes showing such love in them as he did once before.

"**I'm not going anywhere. You're safe now."**

Maria brings her hand to press against the back of his Za'taan, and he purrs intensely in response. His eyes close for a few seconds before they open up once more, staring into her eyes as if looking into her soul and making her insides burn with delight. However, when she tried to lift once more to hug him, the pain returns and Maria yelps and falls back but not before Za'taan catches her and gently settles her back down on the bed.

"**You need to rest, Maria. You haven't recovered yet from the treatment."**

Maria tightens her eyebrows in confusion. "What treatment?"

Before he answers, she watches Za'taan sigh as he makes his way to sit on the edge of the bed and right next to her. She sees his dreadlocks sway a bit while his red stripes seem to glow underneath the light in the room.

"**When you passed out, I feared that you got hurt when we were separated. I had to 'persuade' the healer to treat you despite being ooman and not many are comfortable with it. It wasn't easy waiting for news, but you did fine. Your body is still getting used to it."**

Maria nodded to tell him that she understood. She should have known better since the years of being treated as a prisoner of Weyland may have taken a toll on her even if she didn't realize it herself. After all, she had to show that she wasn't to be messed with, but it was hard sometimes. The thoughts of Weyland smirking at her sent chills down her spine.

"**Maria . . . what happened to you?"**

That made Maria's body freeze in fear and lower her head, believing that if she did tell him, Za'taan might go on a rampage at the thought of her being tortured and starved to the brink the death sometimes. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, unable to let one word come through her throat and out her mouth. Za'taan's hand returns to gently grab her chin and lift her face so that their eyes met. All Maria could see was determination but also patience, and it made her think that Za'taan wanted to know but on her terms. Maria tries once more to speak until Za'taan's hand moves to cover her mouth.

"**It's alright if you don't want to tell me right now. What's important is that you need to rest."**

Za'taan pulls away and looks back towards the metal tray that he placed down the bed a few moments ago.

"**I brought you some food and water since you look like you might be hungry, but I can see that you need to sleep right now. So rest . . ."**

Maria watches as Za'taan pulls the fur blanket up and over her body, making sure that her toes were completely covered. However, she had one more thing to ask as soon as the topic popped into her head.

"Where's Ana? And Walter?"

Za'taan tenses a bit at the question and Maria could see the uncertainty in his eyes but it only lasts for a split second before he regains his composure.

"**They are alright. We got them a separate room and Raith is making sure they are safe."**

Maria's body tenses up at the mention of a particular Yautja's name. "Raith . . . is taking care of them?"

Za'taan nods. **"Yes."**

Immediately, Maria lifts her upper body too fast that as soon as she did, her head became dizzy and Za'taan had to catch her so that she wouldn't hurt herself even more. But she was not done letting him know how she felt about this.

"You're letting the Yautja . . . Who knocked me in the head . . . Dragged me when I could have walked myself . . . to protect my friends who have been through Hell and back already?"

Her anger was seething through her teeth, but Maria kept her cool down as much as possible, hoping Za'taan won't get too worried about her condition while she's in a 'certain' type of mood. But instead of what she expected, Za'taan remains calm.

"**You have nothing to fear. Raith is an honorable warrior and won't do anything foolish. His pride won't condemn him to hurt anyone unless provoked. It will be alright."**

He shifts on the bed and leans towards her, lowering his head down enough to leave a small kiss on her forehead. Maria lays there, watching his every move until she tenses in concern when he seemed to start rising from the bed. She reaches to grab his wrist, but she knew that it wasn't enough to keep him by her side. She was far too weak, and his strength is no match even if she was at full force. Still, Maria did all she could to keep him by her side, fearing that he might disappear once again and that she may never see him afterward.

"Please . . . Don't go."

She cries out softly, almost begging for Za'taan to stay with her while she slept since the exhaustion was taking a toll on her. She did her best to stare right into those bright, red eyes that seemed to show some debate in whether to stay or not.

It seemed too long for Maria and was about to call for him once more until Za'taan shifts his body to roll above her and slowly rested the side of his body on the bed. Maria turns her body towards him as he scooted closer to her, wrapping one arm to rest on her hip while the other moved underneath her head to let it be used as a pillow for her. Maria scoots closer to him, relishing the heat he provided and placing her arms on his chest as he purrs softly. She looks up once more, and their eyes met.

"I missed you."

She saw his eyes soften a bit but still full of concern for her. Maria wanted more time together, but exhaustion was taking a toll on her, and the droopiness in her eyes warned her that she wasn't going to be conscious for long. She tried to fight it but a yawn erupts from her mouth, and she had no choice but to let it out. Her mouth stretches to the limit until the urge disappears, but the exhaustion was getting stronger. Maria blinks her eyes to keep awake until Za'taan's hand glides across her cheek, caressing it enough for her body to give in to sleep finally.

"**Sleep . . . Maria."**

With that, she smiles weakly and after she lets out another yawn, she presses her body towards his, feeling his beautiful marble skin rubbing across her own while the heat finally pushed her over the edge. Her eyes slowly close as she hears the last of Za'taan's purrs singing to her like a lullaby.

[A few days later]

Throughout the time, Maria stayed in Za'taan's room to recover her strength, but it became lonely sometimes. He kept telling her that since her arrival, he had to attend meetings concerning some issues that he refuses to explain. It frustrated her, but she understood as well. The whole ship was on edge due to Maria and her friends' presence along with her obvious connection between her and Za'taan that was more than friendship. Once in a while, she could hear whispers that heated up to arguments sometimes to the point that she feared a fight would ensue. In her heart, she had a feeling that the topics had something to do with her and it wasn't surprising ever since Du'rout made it clear that he needed her help for the future of the clan and some may not have taken it well, especially the female Yautja that was with Du'rout. But what role did she have to play in all of this? She had no idea . . .

But Maria didn't dwell on it for too long when Za'taan came in one day unexpectedly in the middle of the day while she took a nap. At first, Maria became concerned that something terrible must have happened, but he surprises her by bringing in Ana. When they both laid eyes on each other, Ana raced towards Maria's side with the biggest hug they ever gave each other. Za'taan leaves for another meeting and also to give Ana and Maria time to reacquaint with each other after being separated for so long, even after they were freed from Weyland.

It had been hours but Ana and Maria talked endlessly, telling each other about many nonsense things but it made Maria happy, knowing her best friend was doing well. Ana did explain that Walter was busy working on something but would visit sometime later. For now, both of them were having the best time of their lives so far.

"You're too funny, Maria!"

"You're one to talk?!"

They laughed so hard that Ana collapsed on the side of the bed, followed by Maria as they laid facing each other. They took a few breaths to calm down until Maria spoke first.

"I'm glad that you're okay. I hope that everyone is treating you well."

Ana smiles at her, giving her reassurance that no one harmed her. "Of course. Za'taan has been making sure I got plenty of food and water for me. But . . ."

Maria sees Ana lower her gaze enough that her hair partially covered her face, and Maria's worries came back once more. She reaches to grip the top of her shoulder firmly. "What's wrong?"

It was a painful, few seconds but Ana finally lifts her head, but the expression Maria sees is one that she didn't expect. She could see that her friend tried to keep a straight face, but a hint of a smile could be seen forming from the corners of her mouth. Maria lifts her eyebrows in confusion at her reaction.

"What's going on?"

She moves to criss-cross her legs on the bed, leaning over Ana with a severe look on her face. Anavmoves in the same position and stutters a bit, trying to get the words out. Maria waits patiently for her friend to speak until she finally does talk.

"Well . . . Za'taan did help me but until recently, when Raith insisted on doing it himself."

Maria froze like an icicle with her eyes widened in shock. "What?"

Ana waves her hands in fear when she saw Maria's reaction. "He's been insisting upon it when Za'taan explained it to me, and he's been fine with me ever since. I think he's warmed up to me . . . and he's nice."

Maria stutters this time, unsure of what to make of the situation. It's not like she hates Raith, but he didn't exactly make himself the welcoming committee when he carried her unconscious body from Earth and carried her like a sack of potatoes without a care in the world. And now . . . This male Yautja is acting nice to Ana, but why for?

Maria shook her head in disbelief but had no idea if it was due to Raith helping her friend out or Ana warming up towards him. Her head felt like it was about to explode from trying to think up all the possible explanations for this. She closes her eyes and rubs the bridge of her nose between her fingers, trying desperately to get rid of the headache that was coming on. She jolts when she felt Ana grabbing her hands and holding them between themselves. Maria looked to her and saw a sincere smile grow on her friend's lips.

"You worry too much, Maria. We've been through worse, and Raith is gentle with me. He even agreed to help me when I have to go in."

"Go in for what?"

That is when Maria noticed something change in Ana. Her friend's expression turns from happiness to worry in a matter of seconds. It got her attention immediately but as soon as she tried to open her mouth and ask, Ana changes back to a happy expression once more and sighs.

"It's not a big deal. Just a check up on my health, and since you still need time to recover, I want you to rest and get your strength back."

Ana's words gave some reassurance, but she still had one more question to ask. "Speaking of which . . . What about the chip in your head? Has it been bothering you since we arrived."

Ana shakes her head in response. "None so far. Everything is good."

Despite that, Maria felt worried about her friend about everything. The demonstration of the chip that Weyland showed last time makes her heart tremble in fear. It was a horrible moment to see her friend in great pain and have no power to stop it. Even now, Maria still felt the same since she had no idea how to remove it.

She dwells on it for a few moments before Ana says something that got her heart trembling all over again but for a completely different reason.

"So how are you and Za'taan doing? Have you 'rekindle' your relationship with him?"

Maria's eyes widened in shock and somewhat embarrassing when she saw Ana doing air quotes when she said the 'rekindle' word. She shook her head and glared at her friend.

"If you're asking about if I had sex with him yet, then no. And how come this topic came up?"

She watches Ana giggle like a little child caught someone doing a bad or funny thing, pressing her hand to her mouth while squinting her eyes shut. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help but ask."

Maria grunted. "Why?"

Ana slowly recovers from her giggling, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. She wiped a few tears that had streamed down her cheeks as she looked back at Maria.

"Well because you haven't seen each other for three years and after reuniting, I thought you two would get it on. Not to mention the sex must be—"

"Okay! I get it. Can we stop talking about this?"

Maria waved her hands in the air so that Ana would get the message that she wasn't in the mood for this. Ana giggles a little once more.

"You're right. For now, we need to get our priorities straight and worry about what's to come. But we'll do it together."

Ana pushes her fingers between Maria's and they both smile at each other, glad that everything was going to be alright and if there are obstacles in their way, they will do it together.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

After some time had passed, Ana left Maria to go back to her room for the night, believing that she needs some 'alone' time and Maria knew her friend was teasing her again. She didn't like it, but Maria knew Ana was trying to cheer her up. Still, the thoughts of the intimate moments with Za'taan dwelled in her brain, making her wonder if Za'taan felt the same.

All while waiting for Za'taan, Maria paced back and forth since she was unable to sleep, waiting if he would come to her. She kept going like this for what seemed like hours, twiddling her fingers until the sound of the metal door opening got her attention. She turned around and saw Za'taan coming in, looking quite exhausted since she could see he was hobbling. Maria goes to him and hugs him as he welcomes her into his arms.

"You look tired. Long day?"

She looks up to see that his lower mandibles were hanging limply on his face while the color of his red eyes dulled and Maria could see the exhaustion through them. However, he smiles a little while purring gently.

"**It has but I feel better when I'm here with you."**

Maria chuckles and releases him, grabbing one of his hands to pull him towards the bed. She sits down and watches as Za'taan moves towards the cabinet to remove his armor until he only had a loincloth on him. When he finishes, he climbs into bed and lays on his back while looking up into the ceiling. Maria follows and rests her head on his chest, hearing his heart beating strong like the last time she heard it. It was the most magnificent soothing sound she's ever heard.

They stay like that for some time until Maria begins to think about Ana's words about being intimate with Za'taan. She wanted to be with him the moment they were alone, but the excuse of herself needed rest make it almost impossible. Even though she wasn't at her full strength, the desire to feel him inside her once more gave the energy she needed. She lifts her head and looks up towards Za'taan, getting his attention as he moves to gaze at her.

"**Everything alright?"**

Maria nods. "Yes. It's just . . ."

"**Just what?"**

She swallows a bit, unsure for a moment whether to tell him, so she decided to say to him a bit of truth.

"Just that . . . I fear that every time I fall asleep, you would disappear once more and that this was all a dream."

Maria closes her eyes tightly while clawing at his chest slightly. She feels a purr growing in his chest, and she looks back up to him, seeing his red eyes shine in the dim light of his room. He twists his mandibles to form a gentle smile as he rests his fingers underneath her chin.

"**As I said, I'm not going anywhere. I promised a long time ago that I wouldn't let you go . . . and I'll keep my promise until the end."**

With that, Maria's heart skyrocketed to a great height that she believed it would burst out of her chest and fly towards the stars above. With all the energy building up inside her, she couldn't hold it in any longer. She pounces on Za'taan relentlessly, spreading her legs apart until she's straddling him and her hands spread out onto his red striped chest. It caught Za'taan by surprise, but Maria doesn't give him a chance to resist as she lowers her head down until her lips collide with his mouth. At first, he doesn't respond, but when she sticks her tongue into his inner mouth and swirls around, Za'taan grabs her shoulders and pushes her back. Maria's eyes widened in disbelief at his actions. They both breathe heavily for a minute until Za'taan speaks.

"**Maria . . . I know it's been a long time but . . . You haven't recovered yet and . . . I don't want to hurt you."**

Maria sits still on Za'taan as his words echoed into her head. It's true that she hasn't had enough time to recover, but her body and heart wanted him. She missed him, and she didn't want to back down now. Maria looks down at Za'taan and sees that despite what he said earlier, his red eyes begin to glow with need and love, displaying that he wants her too. She smiles gently and slowly leans down until their faces were only inches from each other, and they could feel each other's breaths. She whispers gently to him.

"Za'taan . . . Remember what you said the first time we did this? You said that you would be gentle with me. I missed you so much . . . And I'm stronger than you think. So please . . ."

She presses her lips on his inner teeth, gliding them across each one until she pulls back to look into his eyes that are now burning like an intense fire.

"I want you . . . I love you."

When those words were spoken, it was like the whole world began to crumble around them like everything else didn't exist except for them. Without hesitation, Za'taan pushes on the back of her head, digging his claws into her scalp as their mouths press hard on each other. She moans at the feeling, and from that point, all Hell broke loose.

Maria's hands work feverishly on the belt of his loincloth while they kissed, clawing at his belt when her attempts didn't work for a few moments. All the while, she could feel Za'taan scratching the back of her gown and tearing some pieces off. The sound made him growl while Maria moaned into his mouth. Their tongues battled for dominance as Za'taan finally pulls off her gown, leaving her fully naked for him to see. She pulls back from Za'taan, and both look deeply into each other's eyes as both of their chests rise and fall erratically and in sync.

"**Maria . . . Are you sure you want this?"**

Maria smirks as she presses her hands on his chest. "Just shut up and fuck me."

Za'taan widened his eyes in surprise, but then he smirks, purring as he places each hand on the sides of her waist. **"As you wish."**

As fast as lighting, Za'taan lifts her enough to get his hands to the belt of his loincloth. Maria giggles as he rips the belt off with his loincloth following behind, revealing his enlarged cock to her. It was huge and think . . . just like she remembered, and Maria couldn't help but stare at it, relishing the feeling that would follow once inside of her. With not a moment to lose, Maria shifts her legs and hip until her core was just above his cock. She looks down at Za'taan one more time, seeing his red eyes burning with desire as his claws dug into her hips. She smiles and plunges her body down, letting his cock push through and go deep into her wet core.

Maria throws her head back and screams with all her might, feeling herself cum all over his cock. He had only entered her, and she had never felt such an orgasm rip through her like this one, making her muscles quiver uncontrollably. Her core spread painfully to form around Za'taan as she looks down with drugged eyes, watching him throw his head back onto the bed with his mandibles spread open.

"It feels so tight . . . Has it been this long?"

She hears Za'taan groan and growl in response, digging his claws even further into her hips but the pain is welcomed as he stares deeply into her eyes.

"**Too long . . ."**

Maria giggles but moans soon after when Za'taan lifts her hips and plunges her back down on his cock. He repeats the motion and Maria allows him until she decided he was going too slow of a pace that she wanted. She grabs his hands and places them on her breasts, making sure her nipples were between his fingers. Za'taan gets to work and squeezes them, taking two of his fingers and pinches her nipples just enough to make Maria moan in ecstasy. She lets go and puts her hands on his chest, taking over as she lifts herself and down his cock and enjoying that delicious feeling of him moving inside her.

Maria keeps up the pace as Za'taan growls in pleasure, opening his mandibles to their fullest extent and throwing his head back onto the bed every time she plunges his cock into her. Their bodies began to sweat to the point that Maria's dripped onto Za'taan while his own soaked the fur blankets underneath. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, Maria could feel her orgasm coming like a freight train, and she moans louder to signal Za'taan that she was near. He growls as well but right as Maria could feel it about to burst, she feels his hands move to her hips and lifts her to pull his cock entirely from her core.

Feeling unsatisfied, Maria grunts in disapproval but she didn't get the chance to protest when Za'taan flips them over with him hovering above her. Their breathing strained against each other, and their eyes lock on one another as Za'taan wastes no time. Maria looks down as he positions his cock, pushing it fast and hard into her core once he was ready. Maria moans loud as Za'taan thrusts back and forth without relent. She moves her hands to claw at his back, dragging them slightly down and that made him thrust harder than ever before.

They go like this for a few moments longer until Maria felt her orgasm coming once more. She tries her best to keep going and push it back until she no longer could. She throws her head back and screams.

"Fuck!"

And just like that, she was finished, and her juices poured out of her and dripped onto the fur blankets below. Involuntarily, her hands grab onto a few of Za'taan's dreadlocks, causing him to go over the edge as he soon follows Maria into oblivion and spilling his seed deep inside her core. Some of it drops out of her as well, creating more of a mess but neither didn't care. Za'taan roars with all of his might and remains still until both their orgasms fade from their bodies.

After that, Maria and Za'taan stayed like that for a little bit until Za'taan lowers himself onto Maria, making sure not to crush her with his weight. Maria sighs in satisfaction and rubs his back, enjoying the burning warmth from him as her eyes begin to close until she's enveloped in darkness once more.

All the while, a shadowy figure stands next to the door of the room where Za'taan and Maria reside, hearing their cries of pleasure echoed through the door. It wasn't loud but enough for the figure to know what was going on. He smiles and presses a hand on the door before pulling away and heading out through the hallway, unbehoust to everyone around him as he disappears.

"Everything is going according to plan . . ."

**Hi Readers!**

**Sorry about the late posting of this chapter. A family emergency came up with my mother, and I barely got home today but finished the chapter for you guys cause you're all worth it. :)**

**So, the moment between Za'taan and Maria was one of the best moments of this story as they reconnect with each other once more. Also, it sounds like something between Raith and Ana is blossoming between them and Maria seems concerned. Should she be? **

**Despite the worries, another danger arises. A dark shadow looms over them without their knowledge that has something up their sleeves. **

**Who is this shadowy figure? What are their plans for Za'taan and Maria? And does it only include just them or are there more people involved? What will happen now? **

**Find out when Chapter 10 comes next week. **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, NeverNeverLady, Evilservant1094, and Paul Lenzen for the excellent reviews on **_**Metamorphosis**_**. It helps me a lot, and I hope you all continue to enjoy my stories. **

**Also, since my college class got canceled and I have the summer off, I've moved the new chapter updates for **_**Endurance **_**to Saturday nights so I can get more time to write between stories. The rest of the updates will follow as scheduled so new chapter for **_**Metamorphosis **_**will be posted by Wednesday while **_**Nexus**_** will be in another week (on Monday). **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	10. Chapter 10 (Shock with the Bad)

Chapter 10: Shock with the Bad

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

"Urrrggg . . . I don't want to get up."

"**You have to, Maria. We can't stay in this room forever."**

"Try me."

Za'taan chuckles as he shifts to his side, taking some of the fur blankets with him to look down upon Maria in marvel. She smiled upon his naked form with the blanket barely covering his groin area. The softness of the fur lightly grooming her bare skin only made it harder for her to get up. He did have a point that she needed to get some fresh air along with being introduced to his clan but Maria rather stay cuddled up to Za'taan, especially after mating with each other last night, and she was as content as she could be when it finished. In her mind, she wanted to keep going, but sleep took her away before she could, but she liked the rest too. Then she felt his claws gently raked over her shoulder and slowly moving downward, dragging the fur blanket lower on her body and leaving her back exposed. She giggles as she raised her hand and slapped it away.

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

She leans her head up and sees Za'taan smirking at her. **"Normally, I wouldn't dare since I have a perfect view here but . . ." **He loses some of his smirk but looks back to Maria with a smile. **"I want you to meet everyone in the Uhri Clan since you're part of us now."**

"Are you sure?"

She didn't want to break the right mood but after the meeting with the Du'rout . . . Za'taan's father and Clan Leader . . . It didn't seem to her like a warm welcome, but then again, she was surrounded by Yautjas instead of oomans, and some made it clear that they didn't like her. Especially that female to which her name escapes Maria's mind for the moment which kept criticizing her to the point that Du'rout had to kick her out. She hopes not to meet that female, but the odds wouldn't be in her favor, not to mention that she still needed to pick a bone with the other Yautja named Raith. She shook her head at the doubts and problems she would have to face, planting her face into the soft pillow to cover her frustrating moans.

"**What's wrong?"**

Maria lifts her head and sees a small figment of worry in his red eyes. She silently cursed herself for making him feel like that, especially after getting back together at last. She raised her hand to cup his cheek and got a soft purr from him in return.

"It's just silly me over analyzing things."

"**And you haven't noticed that before?"**

"Shut up!"

She slaps his cheek lightly, and both laughed hard. Maria swore that someone could have heard them since that was so loud or at least Za'taan since he sounded like he gave out a war cry. It amused her very much. They settled down a bit before Za'taan speaks.

"**But on a serious note, we need to get up. I brought some clothing since I . . . you know . . ."**

Maria knew what he was talking about. She remembered Za'taan ripping off her gown, which was the only thing she had to wear, but she's more than happy to get rid of that nasty thing. It only served to remind her of the torture she went through, and she hoped that Za'taan wouldn't ask about that soon. She still needed time to process everything that has happened so far, along with checking on Ana. She only saw her friend once since they arrived here along with finding out about taking care of the device in her head. For some reason, Maria feared it still even though the master control was in the safe hands of Walter. It gave her the shivers just thinking about it. She looks back into Za'taan's eyes and nods.

"You're right. I need to talk to Ana and Walter anyway about something important."

"**What's important?"**

Maria opened her mouth, to tell the truth, but held it back, thinking it's best for all four of them to meet and discuss the future. But then, a thought comes to Maria, and it gave her the naughtiest plan ever. She wouldn't dare to pull it off, but she feared that the chance would slip away since her body filled to the max with courage and sass. She smirks and turns her body to face Za'taan, creeping her two fingers up his chest in a alluring way.

"I'll tell you when we meet up with them but only if I'm in the mood to get up. I'll make you a deal."

She hums at the end of the sentence, stopping her fingers right where his chest and base of his neck meet and rubbing a little on his red stripe stretching across one side to the other. Her charm doesn't go unnoticed by Za'taan as Maria sees his red eyes lit up and feels his breathing hitch a bit. She chuckles in response.

"Another round with you, and it will give me the boost to get ready. Deal?"

Maria expected a protest of some kind . . . At least a little but he surprised her when he grabs her arm and pulls her under his body, rubbing himself against her. She keeps her eyes on Za'taan but quickly shuts them when the tip of his cock rubs against her core. She lightly moans at the shock of it, but the pleasure soon follows, bringing her gaze back to him. His mandibles open and close at every twitch as his forehead pressed against hers and their eyes connected.

"**You are so addicted to this. Do you ever get enough?"**

"Never."

A smile forms on his inner mouth as Za'taan lets out a soft purr. **"Deal."**

With no time to waste, Za'taan presses his mouth on hers, pushing his tongue into her and making her moan in response. Their tongues battle for dominance as the morning passes by them like nothing until they noticed it quickly became afternoon . . . But it was all worth it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

After much convincing from Za'taan, Maria finally decided to get ready and join in for a small walk to a private room where they would meet with Ana, Walter and to her dismay . . . Raith. According to Za'taan, Raith has been charged by the Clan Leader to guard them in case other Yautjas try to pull off something behind their backs. There was no doubt in Maria's mind that they weren't exactly in the warmest of the company, but it was better than locked away in prison by someone is desperately hate. And of course, she's with Za'taan once more, and she didn't want to have it any other way. He was like a breath of fresh air that she waited for three years to pump her lungs . . . And other things.

Although it was rather late for a bath, Maria insisted on it, feeling a little dirty and figured it was best to clean, or else she worried that others might catch the scent of sex on her. If she knew what she was getting herself into, she wouldn't pay any attention when she went out in public, but since she was surrounded by great hunters like Za'taan, she thought it best to make herself more presentable. The bath was amazing . . . Maria enjoyed the warmth it brought along with the unique scent that reminded her of lavender that she once grew back home. It was the only time she felt at peace before all these events occurred. It was even better when Za'taan came in to wash as well, much to Maria's delight and surprise.

After the bath, both began to dress in their outfits, but Za'taan got his armor all together fast, even more so than Maria who saw she only had a leather bra and loincloth that covered the essentials, but everything else was bare. Maria began to complain a little about it, but Za'taan insisted that it was the only thing available that was her size or else he told her she would be wearing armor that would be too heavy and large for her. It only took her a few moments to go along with it. But when she tried to put it on, it was so complicated that she needed to call for Za'taan's help with it, much to his glee. She swears that sometimes he acts like he won a prize but . . . in a strange way, she loved it.

Both of them strolled at a slow pace down the hallway and in the opposite direction of the meeting room. Maria has never been in this general direction, and it somehow made her nervous. It took all of her being to remain calm for her sanity and Za'taan's sake. He's already worried for her as it is, let alone seeing the look in his eyes of mixed curiosity and concern that she only knew why he was feeling that way. She glances up towards him to see if it was okay for her to ask him, but either way, she told herself she needed to know.

"Za'taan?"

He looks down to meet her gaze. **"Yes?"**

She hesitated, unsure of how he would respond to her question. She didn't want to be rude and ask something that he might reject, but at the same time, her curiosity nagged her.

"**If there's something you want to say, then you can. I'm all ears."**

They kept walking but begun to slow down when Maria moved her gaze to him. "What's on your mind? I can sense you seem . . . troubled."

She watched for any signs of change in him but nothing. He remained emotionless and turned to face forward, and that is when she looked down to see his fists tightening a bit, much to Maria's worry. It must be severe for Za'taan to act like this, even if a little. She tilts her head and closes her eyes, hurt that she might have gone too far. That is until she felt a warm had on her shoulder, forcing her to look back at him. She saw that his eyes calmed down while his hand relaxed over her skin.

"**There is something I want to know . . . About what happened in the three years since we've been apart. You weren't in the best condition when I took you to the healer, and they said some things that . . . disturbed me."**

"Oh."

Maria didn't know how to respond to that question. It was not only that her stories were too complicated to tell right now, but that the reaction he would feel after hearing what Weyland had done to her and Ana would push him over the edge. She knew too well how protective Za'taan is of her well-being, and she feared that he might try to do something stupid like hunt down those that separated them and did her harm. In all honesty, Maria had no idea if Weyland is hunting for as they spoke. She didn't dare to put that through her mind. She's pulled out of her thoughts when Za'taan spoke once more.

"**But I want you to tell me when you are ready. I know that you're worried about me and I'm glad you're here. I hope that you trust me with this information and not try to hide it. After all, I'm here for you . . . and only you."**

His words put a smile on her lips. Maria stops in her tracks from walking, making Za'taan do the same since his hand was still on her shoulders. She grabs his hand and pulls it off her shoulder, only to hold it in both of hers. She slowly pulls it towards her face and presses her lips on the back of his hand, lighting tracing them across in a gentle gesture while closing her eyes in pleasure. She hears Za'taan purr, and she looks up to see his red eyes lit up like before. She smiles and moves his hands onto her cheek to relish in the warmth while looking up to him.

"I know . . . And I promise to tell you when we meet with everyone. It's better to hear the answers from each perspective. Is that alright with you?"

Za'taan nods, rubbing his palm on her cheek once more. **"Of course."**

Both smile at each other, and they let go, continuing their walk through the hallway to reach their destination.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The rest of the journey seems far quiet and straightforward for Maria to which she secretly liked. Not because she wanted to be alone with Za'taan but also to avoid causing trouble, which her mind was contemplating if it was a dick and cowardly move. Either way, she didn't know what another way she would have it. The worry made her heart beat a little and in turn, made her move her hand to hold on to Za'taan by the arm. He greeted it eagerly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, making her feel safe.

But the stress increased when they passed through a door that leads to a round, open area. The number of Yautjas in the room was too much to count for Maria but not as bad as the stares that followed afterward. Some seemed curious about her while others looked like they ate something that left a bad taste in their mouths. It made Maria stand closer to Za'taan, even though it made it harder for both to walk. She felt his grip around her shoulders tighten a little, and a rumbling began to grow in his chest. No doubt in Maria's mind that Za'taan didn't take their reactions to Maria well. However, he surprised her when he leaned closer to her ear and whispered.

"**Keep on walking and ignore. We're almost there."**

All Maria could do was smile and nod slightly. They made their way through the crowd, making sure not to get in anyone's way or get blocked by a group that would pick a fight with them. To their luck, they made it through to the other side of the area and opened the door to head into another hallway filled with doors on each side.

Another couple of steps until Za'taan stops them in front of the last door, far away from anyone else. He moves his hand and slams several times on it, making sure whoever was in there knew they had company.

"Is that you, Za'taan and Maria?"

"**Yes."**

Maria recognized Ana's voice when she answered, so she knew her friend was in there. Then, several noises of groaning metal started up and kept on going for quite some time that it would be enough to make any person lose their patience. The door opens, and Ana comes running out without warning, wrapping Maria in a tight embrace.

"Maria! It's good to see you again!"

"Easy, Ana. It's like you haven't seen me in years."

They both giggled as Maria patted Ana's back for a bit before pulling from her. The smile on her friend's face made her smile as well like an infection. She sees Ana turn towards Za'taan and reciprocates the same thing she did to Maria, wrapping her arms around his waist as much as she could briefly. After all, he was three or four times bigger than her. She pulls back and looks up at Za'taan.

"And it's good to see you too."

Za'taan chuckles. **"You're cheery today. Everything went well?"**

Ana nodded but turned with a little nervousness creeping onto her face. Maria squinted her eyes to show her confusion at what her best friend meant. But before she could answer, Ana wipes her face clean and goes back to the happy smile on her lips.

"Well, don't just stand there. Come in."

With that, Ana tugs Maria's arm to follow her into the room. Maria barely resists other than making sure she didn't lose her arm from the tug before following along with Za'taan right behind them. When they entered, the room's design reminded her of the meeting room with Du'rout and the other Yautjas, but a little smaller and instead of stairs and a throne, a large, round table stood with several large chairs that are twice the size of the average ooman male. It looked fancy, and Maria was glad that it was empty, but her hopes ran out when she turns her head to the side. There stood Walter who had his hands gripped together in front of him with a smile. She started not to mind him after all the events but right next to him was Raith with his mask off for the first time Maria had seen. The dark, green skin on his face seemed to have grown dull with age or preferably by the many scars upon it. She had no idea which one was the cause, but the injuries made him look like he came out of a shredder, making her look away for a second. The tip of one tusk on the lower mandible had been chipped off, giving it a jagged edge look compared to the others. Other than the one dreadlock that was split on end and dangling from the side of his head, he looked just like any other Yautja she had seen. However, the rough events between them made Maria tense in anger.

"Hi, Walter." She nods towards him while Walter gives her the same response.

"Good to see you, wel, Maria. Everything good?"

"Of course. Feeling better than before."

She smiles but turns towards Raith who hasn't shown any emotions on his face, uncertain about how he was. It didn't matter what she wanted to say to him. Maria smirks and raises her hand, twiddling her fingers in the air.

"Hello, asshole."

She saw Raith's mandibles twitch and she could have sworn that she struck a nerve in him despite not understanding what she said to him. She keeps her smirks on her face until Za'taan comes to her side.

"**Told you, Raith. She wouldn't be happy to see you after everything."**

At first, Maria became confused as to why he spoke in the ooman language until Raith caught her by surprise.

"**I know . . ."**

Maria's eyes widened in horror that Raith knew what Za'taan and maybe herself said in front of him. Her mouth gapes open enough that she could catch flies with it. She points straight between Raith's eyes.

"How did you . . .?"

Za'taan chuckles behind, making Maria turn her whole body around to him. She connected the dots and assumed that Za'taan might have taught him how to speak since Ana, Walter, and Maria arrived. She lets out a growl to show him the disappointment. He lifts his hands to each side of his head.

"**I didn't teach him if that's what you think."**

Soon, Maria turns back to face Raith but sees a shocking image before her. Right next Raith, Ana moved to his side and had placed her hand on his arm, but gently and lovingly, much like how Maria did in the times she's spent with Za'taan. Maria had to take several breaths before speaking out.

"What's going on?"

Although Maria was tempted to shout and scream at what she witnessed, she decided to give Ana a chance to explain herself since she was her best friend. She waited patiently, crossing her arms and watching Ana twitching nervously until she finally said something.

"Well . . . while you were resting, I got bored, but I didn't want to bother you so . . . I spent some time with Raith since he's been assigned to protect us. Plus, Walter is not exactly the best entertainment. No offense, Walter."

Walter raised his shoulders for a moment and nodded. "None taken. I'm not the best to keep up conversations."

Ana tilted her head to the side and grinned, but it soon disappears when she turns back to Maria. Both stood there in silence until she continued. "So Raith and I talked and eventually . . . The conversation turned to teach him to speak and understand human language or ooman as he calls it. I didn't know how he learned so quickly since I'm not the best teacher but . . . here we are."

"**Yes . . . It's true."**

Raith speaks out, and Maria jumped a little from the surprise, forgetting that he was in the room for a second. She lets her arms fall to her sides and sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingers from the headache that came from trying to fill in the blanks during the time she recovered in Za'taan's room. She raises her head and relaxes a bit.

"Okay. You got a lot of explaining to do later. Capiche?"

Maria raises one finger and bounces it up and down in the air as a warning. Ana sees this, and her cheeks begin to blush a little, not sure whether it was from embarrassment or something else. Maria betted on the latter one, but for now, she wanted to talk to her friend about something more substantial. She watched Ana shake her head up and down slowly.

"Capiche."

Maria calms down after hearing her friend's answer and lets her body slump down a bit to relax her muscles that started to quiver from the tension in them.

"**What does 'capiche' mean?"**

She heard Za'taan's question and wanted to laugh when she saw his face twisted in confusion, but he looked like someone squished his face like plato, but she wanted to move on so she answered quickly. "I'll tell you later."

Luckily, Za'taan didn't push the matter further, and Maria clears her throat to talk about the issue at hand. "How are you feeling right now, Ana?"

"What do you mean?"

"The . . . thing . . . in your head."

Maria taps a finger on the side of her head. It took a second before Ana realized what she meant by that statement. However, the reaction she gave took Maria by surprise. Instead of the small panic she expected, Ana merely gave a worried look, not to mention that she turned towards Raith who lowered his gaze, seeing his fists tighten. She turns to the side to see Za'taan, and he gave the same expression as Raith showed. Walter remained emotionless as usual, but it didn't matter. Something was up, and Maria didn't like what she was seeing, making her feel more demanding than ever.

"What's happened? You all know something I don't."

No one answered at first, and the anger inside Maria started to grow, threatening to break through in which she tried to avoid. She kept looking back and forth at everyone, and she was about to yell out in frustration until Walter stepped forward into the open circle.

"We know you're talking about the chip in Ana's head and we have some news about that too."

Maria squinted her eyes at Walter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Tell me."

"While you were out and recovering, the Uhri Clan's healers took Ana in for surgery due to their equipment picking up something from us."

The word 'surgery' made Maria feel scared for Ana. She knew that the Yautjas don't do the same procedures as hospitals back on Earth but more so that she didn't know what they did to her. Her heart began to race, making her body heat up to the point that she began to sweat. Za'taan sees this and comes to hold her shoulders to sure that she didn't fall over from shock.

"**I think it's best that we let Maria rest for a bit. Let us —"**

"No!"

In retaliation, Maria thrusts herself out of Za'taan's grip, turning back with fury in her eyes but kept her voice low enough to not worry everyone else around her. "I need to know."

She sees Za'taan's face twist into shock by her behavior, but Maria didn't care. She was already deep into this, and it was her best friend they were speaking about. She slowly turns around, wiping the sweat that began to drip down the side of her face.

"Please, Walter. Keep going."

Walter nods. "Of course."

He clears his throat and continues. "As I was saying, when the healers did the surgery, they found the chip lodged in the middle of the parietal lobe. It's based on the electrical signal from the master control and activates the pain receptors, causing painful sensation to the subject."

He puts one hand in his pocket and brings up the master control, lifting it high to show everyone what he meant. "But only if the button is pressed. Other than that, it's pretty harmless."

"Harmless? That thing could kill her if the master control were in the wrong hands. Your words don't make it better."

Now, Maria's anger began to resurface, and it was becoming more difficult to control. The moment when Weyland smiled evilly as he used the chip to cause Ana so much pain, and she felt helpless that she could do nothing about it. She can sense Za'taan coming closer, but she didn't want to hurt him, even though he was much more robust than her. Just as his hand was reaching for her, Maria twists around fast and growls as much as she could. Za'taan backs off in shock, but Maria turns back to Walter before her emotions got the better of her. She glares at Walter, making sure he knew that she wanted him to tell more. And so he did.

"Of course . . . It's still dangerous, so the healers decided to try and remove it, so they called me in since I knew the human anatomy far better than them. They weren't happy but were instructed by Du'rout, so they had no choice. But when he got in there, there was a problem."

"What problem?"

When she asked, the silence in the room grew along with her anger. Right now, she didn't have the patience to deal with the suspense, so she finally snapped. "Tell me!"

Maria shouted so hard that it made everyone tense up, including Walter, which was a shock to her as well. She tightened her fists so much that the muscles in her fingers began to sore and she wouldn't be surprised if blood came out. However, her mind was full of intent to finding out about Ana.

Walter straightened himself out, flexing his fingers and placing them behind his back. "The problem is that since it's in a location that is difficult to operate even with human technology, there are high risks of causing serious brain damage. In short, if we did the operation, it could effectively kill her."

The anger inside Maria disappeared in an instant as soon as Walter mentioned the possibility of death. The flashbacks of when she witnessed the death of people back at the wedding rehearsal . . . their screams of death echoing in her ears . . . Her father's death at the hands of the _kainde amedha_ . . . Her hand ending her mother's life . . . And now Ana is trapped with a chip that could kill her by shocking her brain or surgery. The thoughts were too much for Maria to bear. All of a sudden, her vision began to blur, and her head felt like it was going to explode. And then, the room started to spin to the point that Maria could no longer keep herself up. Her body began to fall to the side and if it weren't for Za'taan catching her, no doubt she would have hit the ground hard.

"**Maria! Are you alright?"**

His voice semi brought her back, but the headache remained. She nods to Za'taan as reassurance and lifts herself back on her feet by holding on to his arm that was wrapped around her waist. She didn't bother to pull away in case she would fall again. She takes deep breaths and looks back at Walter.

"Are you sure that there's no way to get it out?"

Maria glances for a bit at Ana, who looks down in sadness but then she sees Raith place his hand gently on her shoulder and when he did, Ana looks up to him and her face lit up a bit. Something was going on between them, but her mind couldn't think about it right now as Walter spoke.

"Believe me. I've tried everything I could to help your friend. Weyland may be evil, but he's smart and would make sure that his contraptions are difficult for any to remove it. However, there is a possibility that I could disable it permanently without removing it."

"How?"

"I'll still need more time to research it, but I have data stored in my system. It could contain some answers in how the chip works. And if it does, then we can save Ana's life."

In that instant, it was the first time that Walter had given her something that she was grateful to him. He had given her the hope of freeing Ana from Weyland's clutches once and for all. Maria looks back at him and gives him a small smile.

"Thank you, Walter. I appreciate it."

He smiles back to her. "Anything I can do for you, let me know. I will inform you when I found something."

The mood in the room shifts to a relaxing one, easing everyone from the tensed topic that recently been dealt with. But then, Ana's cheerful mood comes into play.

"Well . . . that was some conversation, but I'm dying to check out the celebration tonight."

"Huh?"

Maria became confused as to what Ana was talking about. She turns around to face Za'taan but finds a smile forming on his mouth as well. **"She means that the clan is celebrating the successful hunt of the Young Bloods that made it through their Chiva. It's not every day that all of them made it out alive to live the next day."**

"Chiva?"

Za'taan nods to Maria. **"It's the test when Young Bloods go on their first hunt to gain a trophy from the **_**kainde amedha**_**. If successful, they become Blooded and are welcomed as new members. It only happens once every hundred years."**

Maria chuckles a little at the thought of Yautjas dancing, laughing, and most likely drinking in one area. Seemed hilarious in her mind. "Really?"

"**Really. Of course, it's for you too."**

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Me?"

"**Yes, which is why we need to go as soon as possible. It started already."**

"Yeah! And I don't want to miss out on the fun!"

Ana jumps in her place, and before anyone knew it, she grabbed Raith's hand and dragged him across the room and out the door, begging him to hurry it along. Raith seemed annoyed due to the growls coming from his throat, but he lets him do what she wanted regardless. Walter follows behind, smiling at both Za'taan and Maria as he exited the room as well.

"Well . . . that is a surprise."

"**What is?"**

"The way that Ana acts with Raith. Something is going on between them, and I need to know."

Maria hears Za'taan chuckle and pulls her chin up with his hand, kissing her on the lips before she could react. Maria hesitated out of shock, but after feeling his mouth on hers, she closes her eyes and brings her hands to tangle in his dreadlocks. He purrs and reluctantly pulls away, looking deep into Maria's eyes with love.

"**Maybe the answer is right in front of you."**

She doesn't move or react for a few seconds before smirking up at him, tapping a finger in the middle of his forehead. "I still want to know."

Za'taan laughs. **"I know. You're very persistent. But for now, let's get going."**

With that, Maria and Za'taan walk together out of the room and into the hallway with happiness in their hearts.

But little did they know that their happiness won't last for long . . .

**Hi Readers!**

**Hope you are enjoying the summer break! :)**

**So Maria found some disturbing details that could endanger Ana's life, and she doesn't want to go through with it again. But she's got more things to hunt down like finding out the growing relationship between Raith and Ana. What had happened between them while Maria was out? Is there another romance blossoming? **

**Speaking of which . . . The next chapter (number 11) will be about Raith and Ana and how they began to bond together in request to Anonymous-E. After all, I like their pairing as well, and it might serve a purpose later in the story. Who knows? **

**But of course . . . The danger is around the corner, and it will come as the most unexpecting of them all, but that is for me to know and all you readers to find out when Chapter 11 comes along!**

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, and Paul Lenzen for the excellent reviews on **_**Metamorphosis**_**. It helps me a lot, and I hope you all continue to enjoy my stories. **

**And for Anonymous-E, I did get the details of the Bad Bloods for the requested story and has been noted. Sorry if I didn't tell you sooner. **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))**


	11. Chapter 11 (Advice)

Chapter 11: Advice

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Raith's POV]

Raith watches as Za'taan takes his mate and heads out of the meeting room. He observes Za'taan's behavior and sees a spark in his brother's red eyes that he'd never seen before. He glances at Ana, causing his heart to beat a little faster. He's glad that the mask covered his face or else anyone could see the same glow. He closes his eyes for a minute and opens them in time for Du'rout to answer everyone in the room.

"_As for all the clan members present, I order that the oomans are not to be harmed in any way. If such conduct occurs, there will be no mercy. Dismissed."_

Raith watched the other clan members bow their heads and walked out of the room one at a time. He stands still until everyone is out except for Ana, Walter, and Du'rout. He looks up to the Clan Leader and speaks openly.

"_I'll be taking the oomans to their rooms."_

He walks over slowly towards Ana, seeing her turn her head towards him and smiles a little. Again, his heart skipped a beat and it made him a little fearful of what it means. He's always the Yautja with answers but for this? He's inexperienced in this 'field' of some kind. However, he obeys his orders and grabs onto Ana's wrist tightly but not enough to hurt her. He glances at Walter who gives him a look that he'll behave and follow him. Raith begins to turn towards the door when he hears Du'rout call for him.

"_Hold on, Raith, I need to speak to you privately."_

Raith turns his head to the side. _"What about the oomans?"_

"_They will wait outside of the room. Don't worry about leaving them alone. I've ordered the guards to watch them until we're done."_

A moment of silence passed between them. Raith looks towards Ana who seemed worried about what was going on. He looks back at Du'rout and nods, moving to push Ana and Walter out of the room. He lets go but not before he feels a soft hand placed on his bicep. He sees Ana's worried expression and something inside Raith pulled him towards her. This isn't like him! He doesn't answer as he pushes her out towards the guards that waited for them. He turns to Walter and the ooman goes willingly, stopping at Ana's side. In a way, he's glad that the door closes so that he wasn't attempted to look at her during him and his father's talk but deep inside, a part of him wanted to keep her at his side. Ever since their encounter at Weyland-Yutani, he didn't feel the same. He'll need to talk to Za'taan about this . . . Maybe he knows how to deal with this?

For now, he needed to deal with what his father wanted to talk about. Raith comes back to stand in the middle of the room as Du'rout comes closer until he's only a few feet in front of Raith.

"_So . . . what has gotten into you, Raith?"_

"_What do you mean, my Leader?"_

He hears Du'rout grunt in annoyance, rubbing the area between his eyes with his fingers while lowering his gaze. He's never seen Du'rout frustrated like this, not to mention showing signs of it for anyone to see. Raith shifts in his spot and waits patiently as Du'rout looks back up to his eyes.

"_What is your connection with the ooman female?"_

Not understand the meaning of Du'rout's question or rather . . . not wanting to hear it, Raith remains silent. He could see the frustration in Du'rout's eyes getting stronger to the point that he could feel his breath blowing in Raith's face as Du'rout comes closer to his face. A stare down went on for a few moments until Du'rout breaks the silence.

"_I know that you don't have any feelings towards oomans and see them as prey but . . . you chose to be their protector and I saw the look you gave in that female's eyes."_

Raith stiffens a bit, feeling exposed to his father about the matter with Ana. Some part of him wanted to roar in his face and tell him it's none of his pauking (fucking) business but he doesn't. He knows the repercussions if he tried to pull a stunt like that. After all, he learned in his early years as a pup not to piss the Leader unless you're asking for it. So he answered in a way that Du'rout would somewhat believe.

"_I'm merely watching the oomans to ensure that they won't try to pull something off while they are here. They are not to be trusted and I've proven to be the best at watching. Besides, getting them more relaxed and trusted with me will make things easier."_

He waits as Du'rout closes his eyes and crosses his arms, probably contemplating about Raith's words and the decision he made. On the outside, Raith remained calm and collected but on the inside, his blood boiled with a fire that threatened to take over and go crazy. Raith never liked his father . . . and for good reason.

Raith lifts his head a little and opens his eyes. _"Alright. I trust you but be careful. I've already got problems as it is with Za'taan and the ooman female he calls Maria. When the right time comes, I need you to be prepared and not distracted by an ooman. Understood?"_

"_Understood, my Lord."_

Du'rout nods firmly at Raith when his head comes back up. _"Good. And remember . . . if you disobey my orders, I'll make sure it's as painful as before."_

It took all the self-control in Raith to hold in a growl that would have sealed his fate if he let it out. He bows once more to Du'rout and makes a quick exit before anything else happens.

Raith decides to go and check with Za'taan to ensure that his mate made it to his room and is recovering well. His father's plan needs to stay on track in order to keep the future of the Uhri Clan intact. In his opinion, he rather burns it all down for all its worth. Too much blood had been spilled to keep it going and no one is safe from the torture, including Du'rout's own children. After all, Raith had plenty of that torture for something that was out of his control. The only reason that Du'rout keeps him around as second-in-command because of his great skills as a hunter along with his obedience to the Clan Leader. Other than that, Raith would have either been killed off or sold into slavery. Raith shakes his head and focuses on the task at hand.

After going through the hallway, Raith almost reaches for Za'taan's room, which was at the very end of the hallway when a door to his left opens. Instinctually, Raith reaches for his knife and slightly pulls it out in case someone wanted a jump on him. In Yautja society, any hunter would make sure to watch his back. It's a good thing he held back when Ana comes walking out and bumps her head on his chest, backing off in pain.

"Ouch. I'm sorry about that. Didn't see you there."

Raith watches her rub her head that was starting to turn red from the impact. Again, the urge to soothe her comes back but he stands back as Ana finally lifts her head and eyes widened upon seeing him.

"Oh. Hi . . . Ummm . . . sorry."

When she apologized again, he noticed her cheeks began to blush but whether it was from embarrassment or something else, he couldn't figure out. Unable to speak to her in the ooman language nor she would understand his own tongue, he scrolls through the voice recordings that his mask translated in the years he went on ooman hunts. When he found the right one, he pressed on his gauntlet and it plays.

"It's . . . fine."

Ana's face lifts up in surprise as Raith takes a few steps back when his eyes connect with hers. The chocolate color sparkles from the glow of the lights and his heart beat fast once more. He curses himself for having such a feeling he didn't have the answer to. It made him feel . . . vulnerable. He glances down to the floor as Ana's expression changes to one who was sincere.

"That's good. I'm not used to all of this. A lot has happened since our escape but I wanted to say something to you since I didn't get the chance before."

When he heard her words, Raith slowly lifts his head up but keeps his eyes diverted from looking into hers, especially when he got himself calmed down. He nods his head slowly to give her the chance to say what she wanted to say. Ana shifts in her spot while rubbing her hands together and Raith could see that she was nervous. He hoped it wasn't anything serious. But his doubts were pushed aside when she spoke.

"I wanted to say . . . thank you . . . for saving us from Weyland. I know Maria won't be happy to see you since you knocked her out but I'm sure she would say the same thing. I hope you understand."

With that, Raith's eyes couldn't help but come back to hers and that's when everything almost came to lose inside of him. He had no idea what kind of power this female had but it affected him so much. When she came to his side during their escape and faced him, despite knowing he could kill her without much effort, she didn't show fear but concern instead. She didn't care for her life but for others, including her friend and himself. Without warning, his mandibles tightened into his inner mouth and a rumbling came through his throat and he let out a long purr.

It startled both of them in an instant. Ana's eyes widened in shock as well as his. He felt lucky that his mask was on but it did little to help calm himself down. He tightens his fist and takes another step back from her but doesn't take off, even though he wanted to run. After some moments, Ana's face changes to worry as she reaches for him.

"Are you alright? Did I say something wrong?"

Raith sees her hand come closer and he backs off when it comes to close. She pulls it away and looks at it like she touched something she shouldn't have. Her eyes drop down to the floor and Raith could have sworn that she was going to cry but wasn't sure. His heart suddenly began to drop in his chest and the feeling of dread washed over him. He didn't want her to feel like this. Taking a deep sigh, he takes a few steps forward and reaches slowly to her. Without hesitation, he gently grabs her chin and lifts her head up so their eyes met. He could see the despair coming out of her as he lets go of her. His hand goes back to the gauntlet and presses more codes until he plays another recording.

"I'm . . . sorry."

Ana's eyes lit up like she was shocked by something and Raith wondered if he said something wrong. He was about to walk off, thinking that he'd done enough damage when a smile slowly grows on her lips. That sends a spark off in every fiber of his body, electrifying every nerve.

"Thank you very much. Goodnight."

Before Ana went inside her room, Raith holds his hand up, which got her to stop in her tracks. He puts it down and decides to do something he would never have done in a thousand years for an ooman but thought she deserved it. He stands back and bows his head while crossing his arm over his chest. It was a way that a Yautja showed respect to an equal and if anyone saw him doing this, they would think twice about his sanity. However, he thought it was best as he raised himself up to reciprocate the same thing to her.

"Thank . . . you. Goodnight."

With that, Ana turns away but not before he caught a glimpse of her cheeks turning a bright red. He wondered if she had a fever but she looked well. Deciding to ignore it, he waits until Ana walks back into the room and the door shuts behind her. He sighs a relief that it was over but wished it would continue as well. It was a strange mix of feelings inside that was creating a storm in his stone body. He'll have to ask Za'taan about this later.

Sure enough though, he sees Za'taan walking towards him with a furious look on him. Raith rolled his eyes behind the mask, knowing he was going in for a stressful conversation that was not going to end well.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

A few days had passed and Raith got ready for another typical day of guarding the ooman friends of Maria, including Ana. However, he had a task he needed to take care of before heading towards Ana and her friend Walter. To be honest, Raith was suspicious of the male that came with them. He didn't react like any other ooman he'd met. Normally, small intimidation from a Yautja would send shivers down an ooman's spine but during the meeting with Du'rout on the first day, he didn't so much as move a muscle. He would definitely keep an eye out on him but saved it for later.

Raith walks through the hallway, stopping in front of a door and knocking on it with a little bit of urgency for his taste.

"_Who is it?"_

"_It's me. Raith."_

Right on cue, the door slowly opens and Za'taan comes out, turning back to slowly shut the door behind him. Raith noticed that Za'taan wore only a loincloth that seemed like he threw it on. It was weird but then Raith took a huge whiff of the air and smelled something on Za'taan that made his face cringe. His mandibles twitched uncomfortably while he squinted his eyes a little from it. He knew right away what had happened.

"_Really, Za'taan? You mated with the female, didn't you?"_

Za'taan shrugs his shoulders and then stands up straight to face Raith. _"And so what? You come unannounced and almost woke Maria up. She needs to sleep."_

Raith puffs. _"I'm sure she does after your mating."_

Za'taan growls ferociously, almost making Raith chuckle in amusement. Usually, it would be worrisome to have Za'taan in a grouchy mood but this . . . it was a whole new level. But Raith didn't have much time to doddle and decided to ask Za'taan bluntly.

"_Anyway, I need to ask you for some advice."_

"_Advice?"_

He saw Za'taan's facial expression go to one filled with confusion and Raith knew he was going to have that kind of reaction. After all, he's usually the one who doesn't ask for advice from anyone, given his nature of keeping to himself. Raith waits as the question goes through Za'taan's mind.

"_You want advice? This isn't like you."_

Raith grunts in frustration. _"I know but . . . you're the only one I know who has experience in dealing with oomans and especially the females."_

That made Za'taan freeze for a second, holding up a finger to stop Raith. _"This is about Ana?"_

Raith rolled his eyes from the stupidity of the question but nods as an answer. _"Yes."_

"_I could tell when you asked. You seem to act differently with Ana lately."_

"_I'm not."_

"_Yes, you are."_

"_No, I'm not!"_

Raith roars into Za'taan's face, not caring about what his brother will do to him despite having the knowledge that he could kick his ass anytime if he wanted to. Both brothers have a stare off between each other until Raith's mind snapped out of it. He needed to be careful if he's to get anything from Za'taan. After a moment or two, Raith sighs and steps back from him, lowering his head to the ground. It wasn't until Za'taan called to him that he got his head back up.

"_Alright. What you want to ask?"_

With the green light from Za'taan, Raith takes a deep breath and asks. _"I want to know how you bonded with Maria."_

"_Excuse me?"_

Raith waves a hand in the air, trying to find the right words to say without making it sound more awkward.

"_I mean . . . How did you connect with her? She seems to trust you completely and . . . loves you despite being different species to one another. How did she accept you?"_

At first, he saw no reaction from Za'taan other than him rubbing his chin and closing his eyes to think. He wasn't the one to be patient but for this moment, he waited long enough for Za'taan to finally look back into his eyes.

"_I can tell you that it wasn't easy. We didn't bond well in the beginning. But . . . over time, as I got to know her little, I realized that she's tougher than she looks. Not to mention that she'll protect everyone else that's important to her. In short, she'll do anything for the ones she loved. I guess that's how I fell in love with her. She's different than anyone I've ever been with. I don't know what I would do if I lost her again. She makes me feel . . . strong."_

When he heard Za'taan's words, it struck at his heart and made it beat faster like last time he was with Ana. Is what he's feeling the same thing Za'taan went through when he met Maria. His fists tightened while he lowers his head down once more until he feels Za'taan place a firm hand onto his shoulder. Raith looks back through his mask as Za'taan smiles.

"_You want my advice?"_

Raith pauses a moment, thinking about his decision until he nods his head up and down. Za'taan smiles more. _"I suggest you get to know Ana better. You might find something interesting that you'd never seen before."_

Za'taan pats Raith's shoulder and let's go, turning around back to his room. _"I need to get back to Maria and see if she's alright. Be yourself, brother."_

And with that, Za'taan enters his room and closes the door behind, leaving Raith alone to contemplate on how he'll follow the advice he's given.

. . . . . . . . . . .

After a few hours, Raith paces back and forth in his room, trying to figure out how to pull off the crazy suggestion Za'taan told him to do when he met with Ana. He was supposed to be there by now but his mind and heart were in chaos. How can he pull this off? How is he supposed to know if they can't communicate with each other? That was another problem Raith had to deal with as well. Ana still doesn't know how to talk to him and vise versa with himself so how was he supposed to break through to her? Not coming up with any answers, Raith growls in frustration and decides to go for it. He walked towards the door and was about to reach for his mask that he placed on the desk nearby earlier when he stopped abruptly. He glances at it and tries to find a reason for wearing it on his visits. Without hesitation, he pulls his hand back and takes off from the room and toward Ana's.

When he reached for the door, Raith paused for a moment with his fist hovered in the air near it. His mind tries to play out what should happen but every time he tried, it would end badly and would frustrate him more. He shakes his head, letting his dreadlocks flap around his head and moves to knock on her door when it opens suddenly.

Raith freezes as Ana peeks out from the slit of the door. She gasps a little before smiling at him.

"Hi. Nice to see you again. I got a little worried when you didn't show up in the morning. Something wrong?"

He pauses for a moment before shaking his head. Ana smiles more and motions him to come inside. He follows her until he passes the door, making sure it closes shut so no one would disturb them. Once that was done, he turns to her as she sits down on the side of the bed, crossing her legs at the same time. The beauty of her strikes Raith as surprising and he's unable to look away. It was made worse when her eyes met his and locked on each other. What is it about her that attracts him to her so much?

"How's everything?"

At first, Raith opens his inner mouth and mandibles to say something but remembers the language barrier between each other. He reaches for the wrist gauntlet when he realized he left his mask back in his room. He curses himself for not bringing it but he makes the most of the situation for now. He moves closer to Ana and decides to try his luck in speaking the ooman language. He doesn't know a lot but he hopes Ana will get his message. He clears his throat and tries.

"**Goouudd . . ."**

He sounded like someone was choking him to death and he thought he looked like an idiot. Still, he watches Ana carefully as she tilts her head to the side and tightens her eyebrows in confusion.

"You mean . . . good?"

His eyes widened a little in surprise, wondering how she was able to understand what he was trying to say. He quickly nods his head and the smile returns on Ana's lips.

"Okay. So you can speak a little human language. Can you do more?"

He shakes his head quickly and closes his eyes in disappointment. He never bothered to learn how to speak the ooman language given that he only thought of them as a sport to hunt for valuable trophies. He didn't think he would be in a situation where he would try to speak to one that wasn't intended to be saved in the first place. Something inside told him to save her and he did that but trying to find a reason why it was becoming difficult. How is he to deal with this?

His mind took him away from reality until he felt a soft, warm hand on his arm. He snapped out of his mind and looked down to see Ana right next to him, rubbing her palm softly over his skin. He could feel every detail of her fingers pressing on him along with the texture of her skin that felt like the softest fur he hunted. It was . . . different.

"Are you okay? Why don't you take a seat and rest for a bit?"

Raith struggled to decide if he should follow her and sit down or leave and forget everything that had happened. His mind was battling against his heart, which was fighting a lost battle. His heart beats so fast that the heat began to burn through his skin and he would have sworn that even Ana could feel it. But she didn't seem to notice when she began to tug on his arm to follow her. He wanted to fight but his body gave him, letting her tiny form pull on his massive one towards the bed until she sat down. She lets go one hand and pats on the empty spot and Raith slowly lowers himself until he's sitting next to her. The bed creaks a little and slumps down from the weight of him but none of them didn't mind it.

Now . . . here he was . . . sitting next to an ooman female that is spinning him in circles without putting much effort into it. None of the Yautja females he's been with had the same effect as Ana. They would try to seduce him into getting him into their bed but to no avail. Raith thought it was a waste of time and pushes them out before anything else could happen. But with Ana, it was the opposite. It was like he wanted to seduce her instead but he was treading into unknown territory and had little to go by. He twitches his mandibles erratically and couldn't help but stare into Ana's eyes. They were somewhat beautiful and he couldn't understand how she's affecting him like this. It was so confusing!

But then, he sees Ana shifts a little bit away from him, looking uncomfortable in the way he was staring at her. "Ummm . . ."

She looks down at her hands and twiddles her thumbs between her knees. Raith sees this and grunts in annoyance, trying to think of something to say to her with the limited ooman language he had on him. Silence grows between them until Raith sighs deeply, turning back to Ana as she did the same. He was going to go for it.

"**Ana . . ."**

He was glad that he said her name almost as well as Za'taan but he loses track of his thoughts when he saw her reaction. Her eyes widened so much that he thought her eyeballs would pop out of their sockets. He didn't know if he caused her pain or didn't like what he said but he relaxed when she smiled a little.

"Yes, that's right. What is your name by the way? Never got the chance to ask."

Raith hesitates for a moment if he should let her know since telling a Yautja name to a prey meant that they saw them as equals. It was hard to break such a habit that he's been used to for so long but he wanted her to know. He takes a deep breath and looks into Ana's eyes, determined to push forward.

"**Raith."**

Ana's head tilts to the side. _"Raith?"_

He nods and the smile returns on her lips. "Raith . . . It's a nice, strong name for yourself."

When he heard that, his heart skipped a beat. The warm feeling returned with a vengeance and burned throughout his body. His mandibles and inner mouth slump open in awe while his fist tightened on his sides. Her legs had the urge to get up and move but at the same time, frozen in their places.

_I suggest you get to know Ana better. You might find something interesting that you'd never seen before._

Za'taan's advice rings in his head and Raith decides to do just that, hoping to understand what it meant. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Raith decides to ask her something that might help to communicate with each other better.

"**Can . . . you . . . teeache . . . meee . . . how to . . . taulk?"**

At first, he didn't feel confident that Ana understood her since her face showed deep confusion. He grunts and thinks best to get out of here before he embarrassed himself more. He was about to get up until Ana stops him.

"You want to learn how to speak as I do? Did I get that right?"

He felt surprised that she understood him again. With eagerness, he nods his head and Ana smiles in delight and almost looking just as eager as himself.

"Alright! I'll teach you but I'll also warn you that I'm not the best out there. So can you be patient with me?"

Raith looks deep into her eyes and speaks. **"Of . . . course . . . Ana."**

When he said her name, her facial expression changes dramatically like before except this time, her cheeks begin to glow bright red and he could hear her breathing become harsh but only for a moment. Ana smiles and turns to sit criss cross next to him, ready to teach him what she knows.

Raith listens to her closely as she tries something like the alphabet with him. It was starting to get bored but for some reason, Raith wanted to stay with her as much as possible, hoping to get to know her better as Za'taan said.

His heart rises in delight but then slumps down when the memory of the news from the healers comes back abruptly. Knowing that the chip in Ana's head can't be removed, he fears for the worst and can't help but feel a painful sting go across his chest. Still, he's determined more than ever find out how to help Ana in any way that he can. He wanted to make sure that Ana is safe and an idea comes into his head.

He'll have to talk to a certain someone when the time is right. He's going to save her life . . . no matter what.

**Hi Readers!**

**I'm sorry for the late update and short chapter. I had a busy weekend with a graduation party and everything else on top of it. It's been a struggle but I finally managed to finish the chapter that Anonymous-E requested. I hope you all like it and if there's any mistakes or the chapter seems unorthodox, I apologize in advance for it. **

**Anyhow, Raith seems to like Ana more than what other people believe but he's struggling a lot to accept that they are there at least. But with Ana's good nature, she's sure to help him out with speaking ooman but does she feel the same?**

**Will they come together like Za'taan and Maria? Will he be able to keep the promise of saving Ana from the pain she's enduring with the chip inside of her? And who is this certain person he needs to speak to?**

**Find out when Chapter 13 comes next week (Saturday as scheduled). **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, Paul Lenzen, and Guest for the wonderful reviews. Really helps me a lot and I hope you all continue to enjoy my stories. As for Anonymous-E, I'll definitely put in the request for Lar'ja's POV when the stories are finished since there will be a sequel for **_**Metamorphosis**_** but might be delayed because I do have other stories to write as well. However, it will definitely be in it. :)**

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	12. Chapter 12 (Targeted by the Past)

Chapter 12: Targeted by the Past

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

Following close behind Raith and Ana, Maria and Za'taan walked Walter a few steps in front as they passed through the rooms and doors that made Maria feel like they were in a maze. However, her attention is diverted in front of her, seeing the subtle movements between Ana and Raith. Once in a while, Maria would see her friend grinning up to Raith, holding his hand in a loving manner along with stroking it. Raith simply acknowledges her friend's advances but nothing else. They acted as if they recently became a teenage couple in love. Mostly, she felt happy for Ana in finding someone to feel comfortable in this God-forsaken place but scolded that it had to be the one Yautja that she didn't start well with, even less since she didn't know much about Raith other than being second-in-command. She wondered what he's trying to do.

"**They'll be alright, Maria."**

Za'taan lifts her chin while they walked and purrs to calm her down. Maria felt surprised in the beginning but relaxed, smiling up to him. "I know but I don't know much about Raith. What if he hurts her in any way?"

"**Do you really think that about him? I know he didn't treat you well in your first meeting but it wasn't out of ill intent. He's never intersecting a lot with oomans before and not one that seemed unbreakable."**

"You're right. I'm just concerned for Ana with everything I found out and such."

The new revelations about the chip inside Ana's head made her heart pound in worry. She's already lost so many loved ones in the past and knowing that there's something inside her friend that could kill her without warning . . . Maria's head began to spin, pressing her fingers on her temple. Za'taan sees this and wraps one arm around her shoulders.

"**We will figure it out. No matter what . . . Have faith."**

Without warning, Za'taan lowers his head and presses his mouth on hers for a few seconds. The warmth that spread into her face eased Maria's heart as it slowed down. She blinks her eyes a few times before smiling up at him as he reciprocated the same thing.

"I do. Always."

After that, they started walking once again and wrapped each other's arms once more. It wasn't long before they reached into an opened are with two guards standing on the sides of the entrance. Raith and Ana were the first to go through as Raith nodded his head towards one of them. However, as soon as Za'taan, Maria and Walter were about to do the same, one of the guards gets in their way. It doesn't settle with Za'taan as he growls in warning to him as Maria watched the exchange.

"_Step aside. Now."_

Maria thought the guard would back off in fear but to her surprise, he doesn't even flinch and she could see his resolved in his unmasked face. No emotion whatsoever and Maria wondered how he could hold his composure.

"_The Clan Leader would like to speak with you before you join the rest of the party."_

"_And why is that?"_

Maria didn't know what Za'taan and the guard were saying but she could tell it was something important since she saw Za'taan's expression relax a bit but the anger on his face was still there. After an intense moment, she watches Za'taan nod and the guard moves back to his original position.

"What happened?"

Maria's curiosity got the best of her as she leaned her head forward to get a better look at him. At first, he stood there for a moment as if thinking until Maria tugged on his arm, snapping him out of his trance. He shakes his head and looks towards her.

"**My father would like to speak with us together. I'm sorry for the bother but is it alright with you to delay our arrival to the celebration?"**

Maria looks downs in worry after hearing Du'rout wanted to talk to them. The last time she met with him didn't exactly end with a warm welcoming. Is it something important? She fears that it might be about her and Za'taan's relationship and it made every muscle in her body tense but only for a split second after feeling Za'taan's arm rubbing her shoulder. Not wanting to worry him more that he probably was, she smiles at him.

"I'm alright if you are. I wanted to let Ana know so she wouldn't worry."

"I'll go for you."

Walter calls to them as he steps up to her side, giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll make sure she's okay on your behalf while you deal with 'this'."

Walter waves his hand in the air and Maria couldn't help but smile in appreciation. "Thank you, Walter. Let me know if anything happens regardless."

Maria places a hand on Walter's shoulder, patting softy as they smiled at each other. He nods and makes his way into the room. Although she felt reassured, something inside her feared for the worst. She shakes her head to remove the bad thoughts and stays by Za'taan's side as they went in.

Maria's eyes lit up like she had seen something so amazing that it was hard to believe. And how could she? When they entered, the first thing that caught her eye was how many Yautjas were present in a small area. She saw more than a dozen when she lost count and it kind of made her feel vulnerable and exposed. However, she felt reassured when Za'taan inches closer to her, holding her very close to him and softly purred once more, almost becoming a calming mechanism to her. Maria leaned closer to him as they made their way through the crowd. The room was very colorful, to her surprise, as there were several tables filled with so much food that it could feed a pride of lions even more since she noticed that it mostly contained meat. To be honest, it shouldn't have surprised her since Yautjas have sharp teeth. Her stomach growled a little and she turned her attention away and observed the Yautjas around them as they pushed forward. Some only wore the minimals that consisted of a simple loincloth and a partial shoulder armor with netting covering the rest of their bodies. However, others had very elegant armor that showed their high status in the Uhri Clan, especially a female she noticed had armor with golden lining on every single part of it along with detailed markings that looked like it would have taken forever to make. Maria looked down on herself for a moment and felt embarrassed for not having something more like that. She didn't want Za'taan to feel disappointed but when he looked down for a moment and smiled, it didn't matter anymore.

After walking for a while, Maria and Za'taan finally made it to a vast table that almost stretched from wall to wall. Maria sees several Yautjas sitting there and she tensed when she saw Du'rout with the same female Yautja that had insulted her before. They came closer until Du'rout glances in their direction, looking at them with intrigue when he saw Za'taan holding Maria close.

"**You both made it. I thought you wouldn't come."**

Before he said anything, Za'taan lets go of Maria and bows in respect. Maria sees this and decides to copy him, positioning herself in the same way. While her head was down, she heard a sneer coming from the table and Maria didn't need to look at who made that noise.

"**You brought the ooman female with you? Shouldn't you have left her in your room? Or better yet, on the dirty planet she came from?"**

Maria slowly looks up and sees the female glaring right into her eyes, twitching his mandibles in disgust. Za'taan lifts his head up fast and growls menacingly for everyone to hear. **"Say that again, Ho'valea and I'll rip your tongue out permanently."**

Ho'valea disregards Za'taan and insteads, rises from her chair and slams her hands down on the table, almost knocking it down. Maria feared that something bad was going to happen until Du'rout intervenes, gripping her shoulder hard and shoving her down on her chair.

"**Ho'valea. Don't make me reprimand you for your behavior once more. If you don't listen, then I'll make sure the next time won't be a warning."**

Ho'valea didn't take the warning well, standing fast from her chair and storming off. Her anger was so strong that some Yautjas saw her coming and moved out of the way before she took it out on them. Maria watched until she was out of sight and turn back to see Du'rout's reaction. His eyes showed no hint of remorse or guilt for his reaction and in some way, made Maria wary of him even more than before. Za'taan must have sensed the change in her and purred to calm her down. Maria relaxes a bit but it doesn't completely fade away the dreadful feeling.

Du'rout waves a hand at the guard and sends him to follow Ho'valea. **"Again for my mate's rude behavior. She still hasn't warmed up to the idea of an ooman female roaming among us."**

Maria nods. "I understand."

It is all she could say for the time being, feeling that it was not her place to complain about a Yautja's behavior towards her. She worried about the repercussions if she did so. Du'rout waves a hand towards the two empty seats next to him and both Za'taan and Maria went to sit down with Maria between them. As they settled, the Yautjas started to roar in delight, toasting to the celebration. It reminded Maria so much of Earth and how similar the two species celebrated. She smiled a bit but turned her head towards Du'rout when he asked her a question.

"**How are you settling in so far? I'm sure my son and heir made sure you were comfortable."**

"**I made sure, indeed. She's been through a lot."**

Za'taan interrupted in the middle of their conversation, leaning closer towards them to join in. Du'rout shifts in his seat as Maria started to notice the tension slowly building but not enough for everyone to sense clearly. She could see the muscles in his arms tighten so Maria reaches over to settle her hand on his bicep. He turns to her and calms down enough to think clearly as he moves back to his seat but leaves Maria's hand on him.

"**What did you want to talk to us about, my Lord?"**

When Za'taan asked, Du'rout leans back into his seat and sighs, dropping his lower mandibles to which Maria sensed he was frustrated by something. But what?

"**I wanted to have a small conversation, that's all. Especially during this time of joy with new members entering the clan."**

In response, Za'taan ticks the teeth of his inner mouth together, not really buying into that particular reason. **"Really?"**

"**Really. I have to make sure that all members of the Uhri Clan are well taken care of, including your mate regardless of the species she belongs to."**

The last part that Du'rout said made her feel uncomfortable, especially when he said in distaste and it doesn't go on deaf ears to Za'taan as Maria heard the start of a growl coming on. Why are they intense when they are close together? They are father and son so why does she feel that it's not like it seems? Du'rout takes the chalice from in front of him and pours the red liquid down his throat, flicking his tongue to get the rest that spilled a little on his mandibles, setting the chalice back down in the same place.

"**But on a serious note, I have an important matter to discuss that cannot wait."**

"**What matter?"**

Za'taan looks towards Du'rout with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Maria saw that he was about to say something until he turned his head quickly forward, catching her attention and from the look on his face, it seemed serious.

"Za'taan? What is it?"

"**What the pauk (fuck) are they doing here?"**

He sneered in anger as Maria watched his mandibles open wide with his inner mouth clamping down hard. His red eyes burned like an intense fire, making her turn to where he was looking. Right as she did, the room became eerily quiet as a group of Yautjas entered from the other side of the room. Like Za'taan, the other Yautjas growled low while shifting out of the way, creating a path for them to where she, Du'rout, and Za'taan were sitting. Maria looks in the corner of her eyes and sees the guards that were standing next to them grip their weapons tightly as if they were preparing for a fight. Something about these Yautjas made everyone stand in attention . . . and in a bad way. Maria turns back to observe the new group as they slowly made their way to them. She noticed their armor was unique that they were detailed with black lines that filled almost every part of it. Some had masks on them and that's when she saw a symbol in the middle of them. The symbol was in a shape of a horizontal zig zag with a small circle on top of it. From that, Maria knew they weren't from the Uhri Clan but it was still a mystery to her as to how everyone else knew them.

After an unbearable silence, the group stopped a few inches in front of them, not taking another step when the guards moved into fighting stances. Maria glances at Za'taan, seeing him seething in rage but as for Du'rout, he remains calm and collected in a way that a leader should.

"_Welcome. I'm surprised that you could make it."_

Again, Maria was in the dark with the Yautja language and it made her frustrated that she didn't know what they were saying. She was going to have a talk with Za'taan about learning his language or else she might go crazy. The lead Yautja moves a step forward and bows his head but only in the slightest, much to Maria's surprise since it felt like it was only out of courtesy and not respect like the others have done.

"_My apologies. We had important things to take care of for our Leader. Besides, we didn't think we were invited anyway, given our troubling past with each other and between you and our Clan Leader."_

Du'rout took a huge breath, blinking his eyes slowly in response. The unknown Yautjas stood there in silence until the lead Yautja turned his head into Maria's direction. Her eyes widened slightly when the male stared at her with curiosity, not the reaction she would have expected from him.

"**Who is this female ooman sitting next to you?"**

Maria gapped her mouth open a bit, surprised that he spoke in her language and very clearly no doubt. But as soon as the male asked, Za'taan gets up from his chair and growls fiercely.

"**It's none of your business."**

Maria sees in his face that he's using all his power to keep his anger in check but it worried her when she looked down and saw his claws starting to dig into the table. He must be very strong to create a dent into something made of pure metal. She looks back at the lad Yautja and glares at Za'taan.

"**It is our business when it involves our brother clan. After all, we are part of your mother's clan and everything you do concerns us as well."**

What!? Maria's eyes widened in shock when the male declared them to be part of the clan that Za'taan's mother was once was. She remembers from long ago on their first night when Za'taan said about his mother and the Maigu Clan as she recalls. Also, she never forgot how he reacted to speaking about them . . . the fury he showed to her and the fear that soon followed. She knew that something bad happened between the clans but all she had was that Za'taan's mother was murdered by them but the details about it remain unknown. She snaps out of her thoughts when Du'rout interrupts.

"**Za'taan. Show respect. Regardless, they have the right to be here. As much as I don't wish it, I must obey our laws."**

The lead Yautja glances at Du'rout for a moment and then turns his attention back to Za'taan, letting a grin show on his face.

"**He's right. You should listen to your father . . . pup."**

The male spits at the word 'pup' at the end of the sentence and it sends Za'taan over the edge as Maria feared. Without warning, Za'taan jumps over the table and stands fiercely tall over the lead male. Maria sees none of them flinching or even showing signs of backing down and she was scared to think what would happen if one of them goes off. She knows that she can't prevent a fight with her strength alone but it doesn't deter her from trying. She gets off of her seat and tries to make her way there but a tug on her arm pins her to the spot. She turns to see Du'rout grabbing onto her arm only enough to keep her still and not cause harm.

"**Stay right there."**

"But . . ."

Before she could say anything, a huge commotion could be heard in front and Maria turns to see, gasping in surprise when she sees Raith in between Za'taan and the other male, gripping their chest armor to keep them apart. She watches as Raith shoves them away from each other, earning a roar from Za'taan that sent shivers down Maria's back. However, Raith growls back at Za'taan in warning.

After that, the whole room went silent with everyone else staring in a mix of awe and shock. Maria didn't know what to do as the silence bore into her soul like a knife slowly cutting into her . . . unbearable. But then, she sees Raith moving his face closer to Za'taan until they were inches away and she could barely see Raith moving his mouth as if speaking. She wished she could hear but it ended much too soon as Raith lets go of both of them, moving back a little and nodding at Du'rout. He nods back and glares at Za'taan.

"**Za'taan . . . I suggest you leave and vent for a while. Now."**

As if scolding a child, Du'rout looked at Za'taan with a warning that if he didn't do as he was told, there would be consequences for his actions. Za'taan looks at his father and then to Maria. Her heart sinks when his eyes revealed darkness that scared her to the core. She had never seen him like this before and it worried her. Za'taan shakes his head and before Maria knew it, he pushed Raith out of the way, walked out of the area without pause and disappears. Maria wanted to follow him and make sure he was alright but an unknown feeling tells her to stay put. The lead Yautja grunts and turns around to head out as well with his other members following suit. She slowly sits back down and swallows some saliva that collected in her mouth without knowing. When she did, she felt Du'rout release his grip on her arm as she lowered her gaze down, unable to look up or rather didn't want to.

"**Leave him be, Maria. He needs time to calm down."**

As much as Maria didn't want to just let Za'taan go, she somehow knew Du'rout was saying it for both of their sakes and for her safety. She shakes her head and closes her eyes tightly, trying to understand what had looks back up and sees Ana running to Raith with a worried look on her. Focusing her mind on making sure her friend was alright, she stands up on her seat and looks towards Du'rout.

"I'm going to check on my friend."

She scoots out of her chair and makes her way around the table but stops at the edge of it when Du'rout calls her.

"**About the important matter I wanted to discuss . . ."**

"We should wait until Za'taan is calm enough to talk."

Maria tries to move once more but the guard stops her in her tracks, blocking her path out. She turns around to glare at Du'rout but he interrupts once more before she could say anything.

"**The matter concerns you."**

When she heard him say that, she freezes instantly in shock, trying to understand what he meant by that. She tries to open her mouth and say something but her mind couldn't come up with anything to say. It was like she couldn't think for herself. Du'rout relaxes his gaze as he speaks.

"**When you have a moment, we need to discuss privately when you are ready."**

With that, Du'rout raises his hand to the guard and on command, he moves out of the way, allowing Maria to rush to Ana, who was standing there in utter confusion. When she reached her, both hugged each other without pause.

"Maria. What the fuck happened?"

"I don't know but . . . I don't know."

The words were able to come out of her mouth. She was just as confused as her friend to what happened. Du'rout's words came back to her and in some way, worried her about what he wanted to talk to her about without Za'taan. Her heartbeat and breathing became heavy from the stress to the point that Maria thought she was having a heart attack, even though she knew it was unlikely. She looks back at Ana who placed her hands on Maria's cheeks.

"It's alright, Maria. Calm down."

She stares into her friend's eyes until she saw Raith coming closer to their sides. Maria pulls away from Ana and turns to face him, unsure if she should still be angry or otherwise. Raith stops and looks back and forth between her and Ana.

"**We should . . . go . . . and rest."**

Ana looks up at him and smiles, turning back to Maria. "He's right. It's been quite an interesting day and I think we should all retire. Come on, Maria."

Ana raises her hand and places it on Maria's shoulder, urging her to move in the direction of their rooms. "You can stay in my room for now until everything settles down."

Maria turns to Ana and can only nod at her. She didn't have the strength to argue and didn't think it was a good idea to go back to Za'taan's room, fearful that he might still be angry. Her heart wanted to go and find him, as painful as it was to accept that he needed time to himself. Hopefully, she felt that tomorrow will be a better day for all of them as all three headed back for the night.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maria didn't get much sleep that night despite having Ana near her for comfort. The questions swirled in her head all throughout her sleep, waking her up at every hour. What is wrong with Za'taan? What has changed him so much that she began to fear him like the first time they met? What did Du'rout wanted to discuss with her? What is the shaky relationship between the Uhri and the Maigu Clan that makes them so bitter towards each other? She tried to think of an explanation but with nothing to go with, it only made her body ache and the hope that Za'taan might look for her in the morning were dimming after he didn't show up.

After Ana woke up, her friend tried to get her out of bed and get some fresh air but Maria didn't budge despite Ana tugging on the furs that were covering her.

"Maria. You can't hide forever. This isn't like you. Maria?"

Ana called once more but Maria refused to answer. The unknown of what might happen if she did go out after the whole shenanigans at the celebration scared her. She didn't want to cause trouble anymore that she already did. Maria buries herself into the furs more and that made Ana sighs in frustration.

"Okay. I'll give you some time alone. Feel better okay?"

Maria doesn't move as she hears Ana's footsteps reaching for the door to head out. No doubt that she's going to go with Raith again. But then, the footsteps stop for a brief moment until she hears Ana's voice.

"Oh. Raith left you a present on the table. He said it's something to cheer you up so when you get the chance."

There was a moment of pause between them and Maria wondered if Anac was waiting to see if she would respond but no such luck. She hears Ana sighed once more, closing the door on her way out until the room became silent.

Maria waits for a few minutes to make sure she was alone. She lifts her head out of the furs and looks, confirming that Ana had left the room. Once in the clear, Maria throws the furs off of her and sits on the edge of the bed, lowering her head between her knees while clawing at her scalp. She grunts in pain from the headache that soon came, hoping that in her current position would it go away. After a while, Maria lifts her head and notices the small box sitting on the table. She assumes that it's the present Ana mentioned that was given to her by Raith. Curious, Maria walks over to it and slowly opens the lip and gasped a little when she saw what was inside.

After a few moments of observing it, she carefully moves her hands into the box and lifts it up, revealing a skull that resembles a human and making every hair on her body stand. She turns it back and forth and noticed that it had been cleaned and polished like a trophy. She tightened her eyebrows in confusion. What was Raith thinking of giving her a human skull as a present to comfort her? She didn't get the point of it until she moved the skull so its face was staring at her. She looks a little more detailed on it and saw the golden canine tooth. Her eyes widened in realization that it was Sergeant Wilson's skull. She looks back and remembers that she did kill him with a knife but can't recall taking his head along with her. She had to assume that it was Raith who brought it along. She didn't know why he thought this would cheer her up but strangely, it did if only a little bit. Knowing that Wilson was never going to bother her or anyone else ever again was a bit of relief she needed to get herself moving.

She places the skull back on the table and stands up, stretching her muscles and deciding to head out of the room. Ana was right that she shouldn't stay locked up forever. Just keep a stiff upper lip and push forward . . . not act like a weakling.

Maria shakes her head and heads out towards the door until something began bussing on the side of her waist. She stops and reaches down to her belt, pulling out the device that Walter had given her. She forgot that she kept it on her this whole time and wondered why it was buzzing all of a sudden. Walter didn't need to communicate with her like this anymore so why now? Grunting in annoyance, she decided to answer it, ready to give Walter a piece of her mind.

"Really, Walter? Is this necessary to call me like this?"

"_**Who said this was Walter calling?"**_

Her entire body froze in panic when she realized the voice didn't belong to Walter but someone else she recognized all too well. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably while her breathing started to become labored. The voice from the other line began to chuckle, shocking her nerves as if someone tased her.

Her mouth gaped open and close like a fish out of water, trying to say anything but the only thing that came out was a name that she wished she never had to hear again.

"Weyland . . ."

The voice chuckled again. _**"Hello, Maria. Long time, no hear."**_

From his voice, her body gets shocked once more as Maria's problems were just beginning.

**Hi Readers!**

**Lots of drama that happened and lots more questions to answer. Looks like Weyland hasn't kicked the bucket yet, which means that he might not be done with torturing Maria and everyone else around her that she loves. How did he survive and what plans does he have in store for her?**

**As for Za'taan, he didn't take the arrival of the Maigu Clan that once was his mother's. What happened in the past that made these two Clans hate each other? What did they do that was so horrible enough to make Za'taan very angry? Along with that, Du'rout has some things to discuss with Maria but what are they? What does he want with Maria in the first place? **

**So many questions but will find out some answers when Chapter 13 comes next week**.

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, Paul Lenzen, and Guest for the wonderful reviews on **_**Metamorphosis.**_** Really helps me a lot and I hope you all continue to enjoy my stories. As for Anonymous-E, we finally found out what happened to Wilson's skull and it's pretty funny in some way. Typical for a Yautja to present a trophy as a gift but not sure for an ooman. Oh well . . . :)**

**And for you request story, let me know and I'll see to it.**

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	13. Chapter 13 (Worry)

Chapter 13: Worry

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

**WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk! **

When Weyland's voice calls from the device and through her ear, Maria had to hold it the shock and pain that traveled from her head, causing her to feel dizzy before moving into her chest and making it feel like an elephant was sitting on her chest. She couldn't believe that he was alive. After hearing that the facility was destroyed, she thought that it would be the end of Weyland and that he wouldn't bother her ever again. But her nightmares came back with a vengeance.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction, Maria keeps her emotions in check and made sure she pulled away when she felt she needed to take a breath to calm herself down.

"Weyland . . ."

Maria seethes at the name but Weyland starts to chuckle and it started a spark of rage in her this time. _**"It's nice of you to answer my call. I thought I would be sent to voicemail but you are unexpected in many ways."**_

"Huh. I was hoping you were down in the ground as a feast for the pests."

"_**Aw, aw, aw. Is that any way to speak to a dear friend?"**_

Maria growls. "You are no friend of mine. You're barely considered a human being in my books."

This time, Weyland began to laugh in the device and it only fueled the fire in her that was slowly turning into rage. Still, she kept herself as calm as possible, determined to find out what Weyland wants. Weyland stops and silence follows suit, making it eerily terrifying for Maria. Eventually, she breaks it apart first.

"Why have you contacted me?"

Maria didn't hear anything from the device other than the shallow breathing coming from Weyland no doubt. She hears steps in the device and believes that Weyland is not alone. Waiting for a painstakingly long time, Weyland finally speaks.

"_**I told you that I needed you to cooperate with us. We need to find the Predators and I know you are with them."**_

Maria's eyebrows tighten together in confusion. How would he know where she was at the present time? She decides to call his bluff. "You have no idea where I am. As far as anyone is concerned, I might be in Tahiti right now, enjoying a nice ocean breeze and thinking of ways to kill you."

Again, Weyland chuckles and it started to tick Maria off in a bad way. _**"I have my resources. For instance, the device you're holding right now has a locator on it. From what I can see, you're on the way towards the Messier 63 on a ship no doubt." **_

When she heard how almost precise Weyland was on their location, her whole body freezes in panic. He does know where she was . . . It was only a while back that Za'taan informed her that they were on the Uhri Clan's ship heading to a galaxy that she had almost forgotten about at the time. She did hear something about '63' and to hear almost the same thing with Weyland, it shook her to the core. Enough that she started to stutter in disbelief and Weyland, sensing the doubt in her, huffed as if he already won the battle.

"_**You shouldn't be surprised. I'm very resourceful and the chip in Ana's head works perfectly as a beacon for us. Smart move, wouldn't you say?"**_

Walter? Maria snaps out of it when she heard that statement. She should have never trusted Walter or let him get close to her enough to almost be called a friend. She grinds her teeth and leans her mouth closer to the mouthpiece of the device, breathing heavily into it.

"Walter was in on this as well?"

She heard Weyland huff. _**"In a way. I control his functions whether he wants to or not. I assumed he already told you this a while ago or else I would have thought he was getting stupid."**_

Maria cursed herself inside when she remembered Walter saying something like that when they first talk to each other before their grand escape. Weyland seems to be around her all the time and there's nothing Maria can do to escape it. She grinds her teeth together in frustration.

"_**It doesn't matter anyway. The deal I offered to you back at the facility remains the same. Cooperate and Ana will be spared."**_

Maria was outright confused. How can he do anything at this point? She chuckles into the device to hide her uncertainty but also because she knows something he may have forgotten. "Sorry to burst your bubble but if you haven't figured it out, the master control is with us, asshole."

There was silence after that and Maria felt confident that she had Weyland right where she wanted him. There's no way he can do anything now and she hopes that it would be the end. But those hopes were soon dashed when Weyland's voice calls with such confidence, not something she would have expected.

"_**Oh, Maria. Think you are so clever but I'm one step ahead of you."**_

Maria hears clicking sounds from the device that lasted for a few seconds until a scream echoes out. She pulls the device from her wear and looks towards where the sound came from. It sounded very familiar and close since the scream came from outside of the room. It took Maria a moment before she realized what it was. She turns back to the device with rage.

"What have you done to Ana!?"

Again, she hears Weyland chuckles in triumph, which made her want to punch him hard in the face if he was physically here. _**"I only started up the chip in her head. I knew you would try taking the master control so I had a backup one in case something like this happens."**_

When she heard those words, Maria's world starts to crumble. He's got the device and now can torture her best friend . . . All because he wants anything to do with Yautjas? She swallows and her breathing picks up from her heart beginning to drop inside her chest. The silence was a confirmation to Weyland to continue.

"_**So, to avoid anymore pain, all you have to do is keep this device with you at all times. And don't tell anyone about this. Not even that lover of yours And if you think we can't see what you're doing, well . . . I'll make sure you get the message. Like this . . ."**_

As soon as he finished, the device crackles and tells Maria that he hung up. But it follows with yet another scream that sent chills down her spine. Without hesitation, she puts the device on the side of her hip and rushes out of the room. Although Maria didn't know where to start looking, she couldn't wait anymore. She needed to find Ana and make sure she's okay.

Going down the hallway and avoiding the stares from other Yautjas, she sprints through in the possible direction the scream came. She pushes her legs fast to the point that her muscles started to burn and twist painfully. She ignored it and went faster until she realized that she got to the end of the hallway and to a closed door. She was about to slam into it in the hopes of opening it until she felt an arm pull one of her arms backward to stop her. Instinctually, she tightened one hand into a fist and swung around to release her from her unknown assailant. However, she stopped when she saw that it was Walter who grabbed her, looking a bit shocked.

"Walter?"

"Easy, Maria. Sorry, I scared you but you looked like you were in a hurry. What's wrong?"

Maria's mind pauses for a second until she remembered what she was doing. She tries to rip her arm out of Walter's grip but being synthetic, it was difficult but she tried anyway.

"Let me go, Walter! I need to get to Ana!"

"I know!"

She freezes right after that with her eyes widened in shock. "How . . .?"

"I was on my way to the healers. Got a call from Raith that Ana was in pain all of a sudden. They think it might be the device acting up again."

Walter's words were a confirmation to Maria that Weyland wasn't joking. He did have control over the chip and it caused her heart to break apart in fear. The urge to say something to Weyland was overwhelming but the recent conversation stopped her.

_And don't tell anyone about this . . . Not even that lover of yours . . . And if you think we can't see what you're doing, well . . . I'll make sure you get the message. Like this . . ._

She shook her head a bit and turned to Walter, seeing the concern in his eyes but it doesn't deter her. "Then let's go."

Walter nodded in agreement. "Follow me. I know the way."

With that, Walter pushes the closed door open and goes through with Maria following close behind. They rushed through more hallways that Maria thought they never found the healers or Ana for that matter. Her mind begins to panic at the thought but she kept staying close to Walter diligently. Finally, they stop in front of a usual door that had more locks on it than she thought would be possible.

"Is this the healers? Looks a little too secure."

"It's in case a hunter tried to kill another trust was injured."

Walter moves closer to the door and knocks on it and a red light comes on. Before she knew it, the light turns into a scanner and runs through both of their bodies. Maria remained as still as possible until it disappeared and the next thing she knew, the locks on the door clicked open one at a time. Eventually, the door creaks open and a strange looking Yautja comes through that was wearing a leather covering that stretching over his body and stops at his knees. It almost reminded Maira of scrubs that doctors use except more . . . primal.

The Yautja starts clicking at them and Maria thought this wasn't going to go well. She didn't understand Yautja and form her knowledge, Walter didn't either but again, she was surprised when he took a step forward and began making the same clicking sounds back. When did he learn to speak like that? The Yautja responds back and moves out of the way, grunting in disapproval but give them access into the healers no less.

"How did you learn to speak like that?"

Walter turns his head to the side to get a glimpse of her. "I learn fast due to the advanced technology I have. It's easy for me."

Regardless, Maria let the subject drop since what he said made sense. She has to keep telling herself that he's a synthetic and everything that seemed impossible would be easy for him. Walter nudges Maria to follow him and both walk in without a moment to lose.

Inside, the room was packed with metal tables that were in rows near the wall with some filled with injured Yautjas being attended by others that look almost identical to the one that let them in. As they passed through, she saw some gruesome things that she wished she didn't seem like one hunter had his arm mangled to the point only skin was holding it together while another had his intestines hanging off from him and draped on the side of the metal table. Maria wasn't used to seeing something like that yet so she turns her gaze away, looking forward to seeing another door at the end. What is with Yautjas and doors?

"Ana is being held there."

Upon hearing that, Maria takes off fast and leaving Walter behind. Her heart pounding at the thought of seeing Ana in pain like before when Weyland tortured her. Now, he was doing it again and it only made her anger towards Weyland stronger. Without hesitation, she rams into the door and opens wide for her to go through. She stops when Maria sees Ana lying on the metal table with Raith looking down on her from one side while another Yautja in the same leather clothing on the other. They all jump and turn toward her with a little shock while Ana barely reacts, opening her eyes a little and Maria could tell she was in pain. She couldn't move for a second as she tries to process the scene but she snaps out of it, running towards Ana without any regard for Raith and the other Yautja. She heard a small growl coming for the healer but she ignores it. Her only concern was for her friend.

"Ana. Are you alright? Say something."

Maria pleases but Ana gives no response other than a groan as her eyes close again painfully. Maria turns to Raith since he's the closest person that she could trust despite the history between them.

"What happened to her, Raith?"

Raith shifts in his spot uncomfortably, trying to find the right ooman words. **"I . . . don't know. Ana . . . cried in pain. Took her . . . here and called Walter . . . for help."**

It didn't do much for Maria but she had to appreciate him taking her here when she needed help. She nods to him in respect and looks back down at Ana. She tightens her hands on the edge of the metal table at the thought that this was Weyland's fault. She took a moment to collect herself and turns toward Walter.

"Is it the chip's doing?"

She watches as Walter moves to Ana's side, carefully making sure not to shove the healer out of the way and cause more problems. He leans down and takes out a small hand-held device that Maria didn't notice before. He places it over Ana's temple and it comes to life, making a little beeping noise as he moves it back and forth. After a minute, the device makes a louder, constant beep and Walter pulls it back to him.

"Well?"

Maria's patience was growing thin. She wanted to confirm that it was the chip activating and if it is, her worst nightmare was beginning to fold, making it worse that she can't tell anyone about it in fear that Weyland will definitely kill her. She waits as Walter examines the device one more time and looks up to her.

"Yes. Somehow, the chip activated based on a signal from the master control. But I have it here and I didn't touch it. It doesn't make sense."

"Unless someone else has it . . ."

Maria blurts it out without thinking and her head whips back when Walter calls. "What do you mean?"

Her mind begins to scramble for an excuse but the only one that she had wasn't entirely convincing and she feared that Walter may suspect that Maria was hiding something. Still, she decided to use it.

"Well . . . it's just my thinking."

She doesn't look directly into Walter's eyes, fearing that he might see through her. She decides to turn her attention to Raith, changing the subject before Walter could ask any more. "Will she be okay?"

Raith sighs in response. His mandibles tighten into his face but the rest of his body remains steady. He opens his eyes to her and nods. **"For now. Will . . . make sure Ana . . . is safe. Promise . . ."**

Maria felt safe and content with Raith since she could hear the sincerity in his voice. Looking into his yellow eyes, Maria could see a bit of something that reminded her of the times she was with Za'taan. Those memories began to warm her body but she dismisses them, not certain about how Za'taan is doing after the celebration and encounter with the Maigu Clan. She hasn't seen him since then and Maria worried that something might have happened to him. For now, she decided to focus on Ana and she smiles at Raith.

"Thank you, Raith."

He grunts to her and bows his head in her direction. Her eyes widened at the sight since she didn't think Raith would show her respect after their rocky relationship in the beginning but she takes it nonetheless. She bows her head to reciprocate and glances down at Ana who looked somewhat peaceful compared to the beginning. She looks back at Walter.

"Make sure to keep looking for a way to save her. Please."

She whines at the last word to show that she needed to help her friend but has to wait for results from Walter. He sighs and tightens his lips together. "I will."

She smiles. "Alright. I'm going to get some rest."

Maria turns around and heads out of the room but not before hearing Walter call to her. "You can sleep in Ana's room. Your friend will probably be staying here overnight."

"No. I'll be going back to Za'taan's room. I don't want to impose anymore that I should and I need to clear my head."

She turns to Raith and asks before she takes off. "Do you know if Za'taan is there? I haven't seen him since last night."

She hoped that Raith might know but unfortunately, he shakes his head back and forth. **"No . . . Nothing since . . . last night."**

Maria sighs in disappointment. "Okay. Goodnight."

Again, she tries to head towards the exit. "Hold up, Maria."

Walter stops her yet again and the frustration in her grows. She's already got enough to deal with and others stopping her from taking a mental break was starting to take a toll on her. Despite that, she turns around and sees Walter stopping a few feet away from her.

"I know you want to rest but there's one important thing we need to take care of."

"Such as?"

When Maria asked, Walter moves his hand towards his pocket and pulls something out. When she saw that it was some kind of needle that contained a clear liquid in its barrel, Maria backs off in alarm and startling her along with everyone else in the room since she heard Raith growl and rush to them, pushing between Walter and Maria. It startled both of them but Maria wanted to know what Walter was up to.

"What's that for?"

She could tell that Walter was surprised by the reaction of everyone with his eyes widened to the max. He puts his hands up with the needle in one of them. "Sorry about that. I'm not going to harm anyone, Big Guy."

Walter looks to Raith who postured his body into a fighting stance and starts clicking in anger. Maria watches Walter respond the same way but gentler and it must have been okay with Raith because, after the conversation, Raith relaxes and slowly backs away but stays close to Maria's side. She looks back at Walter, wanting to know his intentions.

"It's only a shot for you. For protection."

That only confused Maria all the more. "What protection?"

"Against anything that might harm you. It's like a flu shot but for other diseases. My own concoction made from what the healers have given me."

"Why now and why wouldn't the healers give it to us themselves? "

Maria crosses her arms as she took his words in deep thought, trying to find any reason not to take whatever she was injecting her with. She still wasn't entirely convinced with Walter so she kept going with the 'silent' interrogation. Maria was already in deep knees with this so she waited for him to answer in which Walter did.

"Well, as you can see, we're not on Earth anymore. And we don't know what we will be encountering in outer space. I made this so it would keep everyone safe, specifically you and Ana since I don't need it. Being a synthetic and all. Plus, the healers aren't exactly keen on helping oomans and with this 'chip' thing going on right now, who knows what else can happen?"

Maria thought it over once more and again, couldn't find a single thing to argue against him. They didn't know what dangers they would be and she worried very much about Ana's safety and well-being. Walter has helped them this far so what motive would he have other than to help? Maria sighs and asks him one more question.

"Will you give this to Ana while she's out?"

Walter shakes his head. "No. I won't give it to her without her consent so I'll be waiting until she wakes up. Plus, I don't think Raith would allow me after reacting as he did with you just now."

Maria turns to Raith and although he stood back, she noticed the muscles in his arms bulge a little as if he's on edge. Walter did make a point and with her mind almost exhausted from everything, she sighs and admits defeat.

"Alright. Let's get this over then."

With that, Maria moves her arm so that the underside was exposed. Walter nods to her and moves closer, glancing over to Raith as he begins to growl once more. Maria turns and gives him a look of 'it's okay' and that calmed Raith down a bit. Walter moves closer and pulls back the needle in his hand, taking the cap off to expose the tip. It was somewhat long and thick but Maria had seen worse things and in some way, felt lucky that she did or else she would have made a fuss over it. Walter grips onto the are below her elbow and use his thumb to find the vein. Once got it, he positions the needle and looks at Maria one last time before inserting it into her body.

It stings for a moment and Maria grinds her teeth for a split second to endure it. Soon, the clear liquid begins to flow into her vein and she could feel a cold sensation running down her arm. It felt weird but she endured it. When it was all done. Walter pulls out the needle, caps it once more and places small cotton onto the area to stop the small bleeding. After a few moments, Walter removes the cotton and inspects her arm, making sure everything checks out.

"There we go. Quick and easy and already healing. You should be good now, Maria. Thank you for your time and I promise to help Ana in any way that I can."

Walter smiles at her and Maria gives him a small one. "Thank you, Walter. Watch over her for me."

He nods and looks to Raith. "And you too."

Raith doesn't say anything but bows a little in acknowledgment. With that, she makes her way out of the room, not wanting to talk anymore about the matter. She was already trying to keep her sanity together with all the things she'd found out in only a matter of hours. Weyland calling and threatening to kill Ana if she didn't cooperate. The worst part is not being able to tell anyone about it, much more with what Weyland is plotting. It was tearing her apart from the inside and there was nothing she could do about it.

Shaking her head, she makes her way back the same path. Once she got out of the healers, back through the door that led to the hallway, and made her way towards Za'taan's room, she wondered if Za'taan was back from whatever he was doing. From what Raith said, he had mostly been out and not speaking to anyone but she expected it as much. She imagined it must have been hard for him to deal with his mother's former clan but not knowing all of the details, the history between them could be much worse than what Maria thought. She wonders if he will ever tell her.

Once she gets to the door to Za'taan's room, she pushes it open since she saw that it was unlocked but she thought nothing of it. Her mind was already dealing with other things and she rather just go to sleep and hope for a better tomorrow. But just as she walks through and the door shuts behind, she looks towards the bed and freezes, a little shocked by who she saw.

"Za'taan."

Before she called for him, Za'taan had his head down, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking towards the floor in defeat. All he had was his loincloth on and Maria glances to the floor near his feet and notices his armor scattered in a messy state. Something must have bothered him so much like this. When she calls his name, Za'taan lifts her head and his eyes lit up if only a little.

"**Maria."**

He stands up immediately but doesn't move to be with her. The uncomfortable silence stands between them and Maria didn't know what to do. The last time she had seen him, Za'taan was in such an angry state that it scared her. Her breathing and heart started to race in fear and anticipation of what he was going to do or say. She watched his body posture and looked for any signs on him that would indicate something but he stood as still as a statue with his eyes the only thing she could use. They showed only uncertainty to which Maria thought it was because of Maria seeing him angry at the celebration. Not able to take on the silence any longer, she opens her mouth to speak but Za'taan beat her to the punch.

"**Let me speak. Please."**

Maria closes her mouth straight away, swallowing the bit of saliva that was gathering in her mouth. She nods to him slowly and Za'taan takes a deep breath, closing his eyes before looking back to her.

"**I'm sorry for my behavior at the feast. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. Especially with you there. You must have been terrified."**

For a moment, Maria sees Za'taan look so vulnerable that it stung her chest a little as if she was feeling his pain as well. His eyes lost the beautiful, red color that made them so special and she worried about him. It wasn't like him to be in such a state and she could only wonder if meeting the Maigu Clan must have really affected him but again, she doesn't know the whole story.

Maria sighs. "I was, at the time, but I'm okay. I just had a lot of things on my mind."

Za'taan tilts his head to the side. **"With Ana? I heard about what happened. Is she okay?"**

"She's fine. For now."

There was a small pause between them. **"Are you okay?"**

At first, Maria was hesitant to tell him nor look into his eyes. She wanted so badly to say everything she found out. What Weyland is planning and how it is connected to the incident with Ana and such. Her heart begs to tell him and be in his arms, feeling safe from danger. Without hesitation, Maria hurries over to him and wraps her arms around his waist, not wanting to let him go. She feels Za'taan tense up a bit at the move.

"**Maria?"**

She doesn't answer him and rubs her face hard into his abdomen, taking a large whiff of his sweet cinnamon smell. It sent a warmth through her entire body and it felt great to her. After a while, she felt his arms slowly work their way around her smaller body until one of his hands digs into her hair and gently scratches on her scalp. Maria breathes deeply into his chest, relishing Za'taan being so close to her.

"**Is everything alright?"**

No . . . nothing is alright for Maria. Her heart screams to tell him everything with Weyland but of course, her mind had to butt in and break her conviction.

_The deal I offered to you back at the facility remains the same . . . Cooperate and Ana will be spared . . . And don't tell anyone about this . . . Not even that lover of yours . . . I'll make sure you get the message._

Those words tore into her soul and Maria presses her face even harder than before. She feels Za'taan's claws beginning to dig into her scalp but she didn't care.

"**Maria."**

He calls to her one more time and Maria finally lifts her head up to look into his eyes that were filled with worry. She didn't want him to look like that as it was making her feel scared about everything. Not telling was like going against his back but what choice did she have? Weyland threatened her friend's life and she would do anything to keep all those she loved safe. Maria looks deeply at his red eyes before tippy toeing higher until her face was only an inch or two away from his.

"Za'taan . . . I missed you. I'm . . . sorry."

She had to say that last part but she saw that it only confused Za'taan all the more. She couldn't stand it anymore and with a leap of courage, she moves until her lips pressed into his inner mouth, closing her mouth at the enjoyment of it.

At first, he doesn't respond to her advances but when Maria begins to glide her tongue across the teeth of his inner mouth, her body is suddenly lifted into the air by Za'taan's strong arms and his tongue sticks out and battles her own until she relents, opening her mouth wide for his tongue to invade it. Maria moans in response and her core begins to burn strong for him as she wraps her legs around his waist. Soon, Za'taan carries her to the bed but Maria couldn't wait for him. She shifts in his arms so that her core begins to grind against him. She hears Za'taan growl before he throws her softly onto the bed with her sprawled over it.

Maria opens her eyes and sees Za'taan ripping off his loincloth and exposing his large cock to her. She couldn't help but note that it looked twice as big as before with the color of it turning into a bright green color. The ridges lining it started to swell and made his cock look like it was growing in girth. Maria's breathing picks up the pace and her heart works twice as hard to pump the burning heat throughout her body and effectively made her core begin to drip with cum, drenching her undergarments. Za'taan growls at the sight of her and before Maria knew it, he climbs onto the bed and over her body. His red eyes regain their intense glow that Maria missed so much. But before Za'taan can pull off anything with her, Maria takes the initiative and pushes Za'taan to roll onto his back next to her. Fast as lighting, she lifts herself and positions herself to straddle on top of him.

Looking down, she could see Za'taan looked a bit surprised but his expression changes into one of pleasure, twitching his mandibles rapidly at the joy of it. This is what Maria needed to distract herself from everything. He was her drug that she couldn't get enough of it.

She wanted him so much.

With that, Maria starts to rip off her clothes impatiently. So much that she almost tore her top in half out of frustration but figured it out. Her breasts became exposed and she could feel her nipples harden from the reaction that she got from Za'taan . . . love and want. She chuckles and lowers herself down until her breasts press against his bare chest. He groans at the feeling as his face comes closer to her.

"**Maria. Are you sure you're alright?"**

Oh . . . why does he have to bring it up? Maria tries her best to push all the bad thoughts away, only focusing on him but with the look of worry coming back on his face, Maria had to think fast.

"I'm alright. I just miss you . . . A lot."

As she said that, Maria's hand moves down slowly on his body until it reaches behind and grabs his cock, squeezing it enough to get a moan out of him. It sends Za'taan over the edge and before Maria knew what was happening, he flips her over until she was on her hands and knees. She yelps from the sudden change until she felt Za'taan's chest press against the skin of her back as he lowers himself down on her. His tongue licks the small crook of her neck and Maria moans into the air when one of his clawed hands moves to her breast and pinches her nipples between his fingers.

Before she knew it, Za'taan had ripped her bottom clothing off and pressed his cock into the crack of her ass. She whines in anticipation and starts to lose her patience when he only grinds against her and doesn't penetrate her. When she had enough, Maria reaches behind with all of her strength and grabs his cock once more. She hears him growl near her ear but it doesn't stop her as she shifts forward to allow him access to her core. As soon as she got him where she wanted, she pushes herself back and his cock plunges deep into her core.

She screams into the air as Za'taan roars at the same time, relishing this feeling she had missed despite only being a short amount of time. Without a moment to spare, Maria takes the initiative and thrusts herself back and forth. His cock rubs the walls inside her core, sending a jolt throughout her body each time it happened. She keeps up the pace for a while until she began losing her pace, letting Za'taan take control when he wraps one arm around her abdomen and holds himself up with the other, entwining his fingers over hers. He begins thrusting harder than ever before and it took everything in Maria not to cum right then and there. She wanted to never let this end and so she did her best to keep up with him.

Za'taan moves faster into her, pushing as deep into her core as possible and taking even more. His growls and her moans mix together along with the creaking of the bed getting louder as they moved faster. Both kept going like this until Maria felt a knot growing inside her core and knew that her orgasm was coming strong. Za'taan presses his chest even more into her back and starts nibbling into the nook of her shoulder, sending her over the edge. Maria screams as loud as she came and feels her cum flowing out of her, trickling down the sides of her thighs and onto the bed. His orgasm follows suit, feeling his seed burst inside her. Her body would have collapsed if Za'taan didn't hold on to her as they took deep breaths to get back the air they lost. After a few moments, she hears Za'taan voice close to her ear as he whispers.

"**Maria."**

She moves her hand around until she grabs one of his dreadlocks that had slipped over his shoulder and onto her. He growls in reaction and Maria turns her head to the side to see his bright red eyes once more. She smiles in satisfaction but wasn't done with him just yet.

"Za'taan . . . I want more . . . Please."

Although her body felt exhausted, the spark inside her lit up once more but she worried it might be because of 'other' reasons. But she didn't get time to decide as Za'taan moves his face closer to hers and presses his inner mouth to her, scraping the tips of his mandibles into her cheeks and leaving scratches behind. It didn't bother her and with the sweet cinnamon smell growing stronger, her mind went blank.

Za'taan whispers into her ear and the air he breathes onto her skin sends another jolt through her. **"As you wish."**

With that, Za'taan lifts his body back up until he's kneeling behind her. His clawed hands grab onto each side of her hips and begin pulling her back, pushing his cock back inside her. Maria moans loudly as he picks up the pace once more, going for another round.

However, a small thought in Maria's mind nagged at her during that time that bothered her like a fly.

_Cooperate and Ana will be spared . . . _

Maria tightens her eyes shut, trying to get rid of that thought from her mind as she felt Za'taan moving faster inside her. But she couldn't help but think about the future and what will happen to them.

But she knows that something is coming . . . and it was only a matter of time before it finally catches up to her and she fears the consequences that will soon follow.

**Hi Readers!**

**What a chapter! Weyland being an asshole for threatening Maria with harming Ana just to keep their interaction a secret. It's really eating away at Maria to keep such a big secret from everyone else, including Za'taan but there are more problems to be dealt with that will be explained in future chapters. Lots of drama to come and let us hope that everything works out for our characters. Who knows? **

**So many questions but will find out some answers when Chapter 14 comes in two weeks. (In case some of you haven't got the notice, I'll be taking the next week off for my birthday and 4th of July. Thank you all for the birthday wishes as well! :) )**

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, Paul Lenzen, and Guest for the wonderful reviews on **_**Metamorphosis. **_**Really helps me a lot and I hope you are all continue to enjoy my stories. As for Anonymous-E, I really like the name Flying Arrow but wanted to clarify if the main character will be the soldier or the female Yautja. Either title sounds awesome. **

**And my readers . . . If you would like a say in the matter for the title, please let me know either by my Twitter account or review on my stories. **

**Let me know and I'll see to it.**

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	14. Chapter 14 (Hard Choices)

Chapter 14: Hard Choices

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

_**WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk! **_

[A month later . . .]

[Raith's POV]

Raith walks through the hall with determination, dead set on finding the person he needed to speak with. Bustling through, he finally makes it to a door that leads to a room isolated from others. And for good reason. Raith doesn't even bother to knock on the door and opens it by pressing the override code into it. Sure enough, the door clicks open and swings slowly, making his impatience grew more. He doesn't even wait until he had full access and pushes himself through the crack. The loud sound of the door slamming the side of the wall from the force alerted the occupant inside the room. Raith could hear scuffling from around the corner and sure enough, it was Walter who revealed himself, looking surprised at the interruption.

"Raith. What brings you here?"

Walter called out with a mix of shock and surprise in his voice but made himself sound as if he was giving out a warm greeting. It only ticked Raith off and before anyone could react, Raith stomps over to him, gripping the edge of Walter's shirt on his chest and slams him high on the wall. He heard him gasp out in somewhat pain as Raith expected it since the echo of the metal wall reverberated across the room. Walter grips onto his hands to break free but it was no use. He was going to get answers, whether Walter wants to cooperate or not.

"Raith! What the fuck are you doing?!"

"_I want to know what is your progress."_

He sees Walter look at him with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"_Don't play dumb with me. I know you can speak our tongue well but I guess that is expected coming from a synthetic."_

He felt Walter's skin tense while his eyes widened in surprise. He answers him in the Yautja language. _"How did you . . .?"_

Raith tightens his mandibles together and growls as his face gets closer to his. _"I have my ways but it's not the main reason I'm here."_

A pause of silence runs between as Raith studies Walter's features to observe if he knew the reason but no better than the oomans he has encountered, Walter doesn't answer and remains dumbfounded. A facade is what he thinks. Raith wasn't going to fall for that.

"_It's been a month since Ana had the attack. What have you found?"_

He grips Walter even harder, earning another groan of pain from him. Some part of him relished in this . . . reminded him of the old times he's been on ooman hunts. The way they tried to beg for their life after they attacked him . . . figuring that they can't win . . . it frustrated him in the past but he couldn't help but think about it now with Walter in his grip. He presses Walter into the wall harder and growls, slowly speaking to make sure he got the message.

"_What. Have. You. Found?"_

Walter scrambles to give an answer. _"I'm doing the best that I can. It's not easy when the chip is inside a live person's head and you have to research without killing them."_

"_Do you think Ana wants to go through this again? She's suffering and all you're doing is taking your time!"_

Raith couldn't hold in his anger for much longer. This fake ooman was driving his patience down the hellhole. He couldn't bear to see Ana suffer like she did a while back and the thought that any moment the chip could go off without warning and cause her more pain . . . It brought an unbearable pain to his chest every day he thought about it. He pulls Walter away from the wall only to slam him even harder than the last time. He then heard a sound of breaking metal coming from Walter himself, giving him the indication that he can't go too far with his punishment. If the ooman breaks, then who can help Ana? He loosens his grip but doesn't let him go. Instead, he leans his face so close that his breath hit Walter's face and bounced back to him.

"_I ask again . . . what have you found?"_

Raith leered into his eyes, making sure he showed that he was dead serious. Eventually, Walter closes his eyes for a few seconds before looking back at him.

"_I think that there's another master control that's linked to the chip in Ana's head but I'm having a hard time isolating its location. But from the range that the device needs to have an effect, it must be close."_

This time, Walter closes his eyes again, tightening from the pain most likely. Despite only getting a fraction of what he wanted, Raith had to take what he can for now. In an instant, he lets go of Walter, letting him drop on the floor and hitting the ground hard. He turns around to head out of the room and get away from all the tension but stops halfway to turn his head to the side and glare at Walter.

"_You better make sure she stays alive. Or else you'll regret it."_

Walter speaks between breaths. _"You really love her, don't you?"_

Rath doesn't answer as he turns his face forward and starts to move his foot forward until it stops upon hearing Walter speak. _"Hold on."_

Raith had no idea what he listened to a filthy ooman like him but a small thought nagged at him to answer. Sighing, he turns fully around and watches Walter stand back up and get his bearing slowly. Once that was done, Raith saw that Walter was focusing hard on . . . as if he remembered something.

"_I recognize you from somewhere."_

Somehow, that sent a chill down Raith's spine for some reason or another. But as he heard those words, he could faintly remember a piece of his past that began to haunt him like before . . . just when he thought he had them under control.

_Kill them all! Don't let them escape!_

_You promised that we wouldn't be followed!_

_Good luck in surviving this. _

Raith growls and closes his eyes tightly when a headache pierces into a point on the side of his head. He brings his hand over and digs his claws into it . . . the only thing he knew that would work in the many times he's dealt with this. After a minute or two, the pain subsides and he shakes his head, letting his dreadlocks slap against his shoulder armor. He blinks his eyes and turns to glare at Walter.

"_We'll talk later . . . And with results for your sake."_

As quickly as he could, Raith rushed out of the room at a fast pace. He needed to vent his anger out before anyone else gets hurt and before he reaches his room. Luckily, his anger dissipates from walking so fast that by the time he makes it to his door, his muscles ached with exhaustion. He opens the door and closes it shut before anyone had the chance to disrupt him. Once in the room, he stops in the middle of it, looking at Ana's small form lying on his bed, sleeping peacefully.

After the attack Ana went through, Raith requested for her to stay in his room where it was closest to the healers if anything were to happen but also for his sanity's sake. He feels at ease knowing she was nearby but the worry of the unknown was still there. He walks gently across to avoid waking her up and sits carefully on the edge. He watches her chest rise and fall with her breathing and at that moment, she looked so beautiful. Raith lowers himself down while balancing on one hand and leans over her, noting how peaceful she looked despite everything. He leans even closer until he gently presses his forehead on the side of hers, purring from the contact. He stiffens when he felt Ana wiggle in her spot but relaxes when she stops, still sleeping as before. The times that they spent together were memorable and he tried to focus on the good ones instead of the bad. For his sake and hers.

At that moment, he vows to make sure Ana would survive this and protect her along with her friends she trusts. But the conversation with Walter earlier comes crashing back.

_I recognize you . . . _

Raith shakes his head and moves to lay beside her, wrapping one arm around her waist and pressing his body to her as he lets himself drift into sleep in which he hopes to not have any nightmares of his past.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

Over a month, Maria has been keeping tabs on Ana, almost as dedicated as Raith but every time she comes in to inspect Ana, her friend would always tell her not to worry. It almost sounded like a plea, tugging on her heartstrings but it felt better when Ana promised to tell her if anything came up and that Raith would watch her. She had to thank Raith properly when she had the chance. Not just for looking out for Ana but saving them when they broke out from Weyland. She felt like she owed it to him.

Speaking of which, Maria hasn't heard from Weyland since that time. She assumed that he would call her non-stop since she carried the device with her at all times but nothing. Her anxiety would get the best of her, even during intimate times with Za'taan. Normally, she would hide her emotions very well from him but the recent one wasn't a lucky day for her. Maria remained silent after they had mated and Za'taan noticed it all too well.

"**Maria. Something's wrong with you."**

She opens her eyes and sees Za'taan leaning over her with one arm supporting him, looking worn with worry about her. She twists her naked body until she lays on her stomach and resting her chin on her crisscrossed arms.

"I'm fine. Really."

"**No, you're not. You're acting differently."**

"In what way?"

Maria wanted to dismiss the conversation altogether, fearing that he would ask about her strange behavior. The urge to tell him about Weyland's plan to him was nerve-wracking but that small reminder of the threat to her friend's life kept her in line. However, she knew it was best to let him speak and it would help her to know what he's thinking.

"**You're not as cheery as before. It's like you're not getting any rest or something's bothering you."**

She sighs and moves to hide her face in the pillow. "I'm only worried about Ana. After the attack, it hasn't been the same."

"**It's not just that."**

That piqued her interest but not sure whether to be more curious or nervous. She raises her face back up to him. "What do you mean?"

Za'taan shuffles until he places his head down on the pillow next to her, clicking a bit with his mandibles as he scoots closer until their faces were inches apart. Maria felt a little self-conscious about this, worried that he was seeing through her. When his face comes closer and his red eyes squint in concentration, she froze in her spot and her mind goes blank, not knowing what to do.

"What?"

"**You seem very tired and yet you've been sleeping a lot. Not to mention you're gaining some weight on you."**

Maria's mouth opens wide as if she couldn't believe what he said just now. Out of reflex, she lifts her arm from under the fur blankets and swings at him, slapping over his cheek enough that he had to recoil from it. Za'taan grunts and moves his head back, rubbing it to ease the pain. He looks back in confusion.

"**What was that?"**

"Don't call me fat!"

Although she tried to act serious, a stifled smile broke through and eventually lead to a small giggle. Za'taan stops rubbing his chin and bends his inner mouth and mandibles into a smirk, which only made her giggle even harder.

"**Really? All that training with you this past month and you only gain fat. Eating too much lately?"**

Maria wanted to protest but he did have a point. She had noticed her appetite grew immensely that she almost ate as much as a female Yautja three times her size. Not to mention that she would eat something that her old self wouldn't dare try in a million years. But her stomach prevailed and before she knew it, all of her meals and more were gone within an hour or so. Even with learning hunting skills with Za'taan in case she needed to protect herself when he's not around, it did little to help her change.

She tilts her head down and brings it back up. "It might be the stress of it all. Probably need something to keep me occupied."

Maria definitely needs something to ease her mind but what can she do? Her answer was brought up right away as Za'taan's arm slips underneath her, pulling her over until she was straddling him. She looked down on him in surprise as he places each hand on her hips. His red eyes began to glow once more and Maria knew what he was suggesting as he smirked at her.

"**I know one way to keep you 'occupied' at the moment. Plus, you'll get your exercise to lose some of the fat on you."**

All of a sudden, Maria felt his hips pushed up into her, forcing his erected cock to rub close to her core and down her inner thigh. Instinctually, she closes her eyes and lets out a huge gasp followed by a moan, slapping her hands down on his hardened chest. When Za'taan stops moving, she looks back at him and chuckles while replicating his signature smirk.

"You'll regret saying that."

Before he could ask, Maria lifts her hips up and quickly grabs his cock from underneath, squeezing hard enough to earn a pleasurable growl from Za'taan. Even after holding it in her hands several times before, his cock felt so solid that it couldn't have belonged to any living creature nor could see possibly believed it could fit in her at all. But in the end, it was well worth it. Without further adieu, Maria moved a little before pushing down and letting his cock slip between her folds and deep into her core. The sudden howl from Za'taan almost made her cum from his reaction. It was so satisfying but she wasn't going to give him the benefit just yet.

"You . . . were . . . saying?"

She had to speak between her labored breaths but it worked like a charm. Za'taan's eyes glowed with powerful desire as his hands tightened their grip, almost cutting his claws into her skin. Maria did her best to not let him overtake her. She wanted to make sure that she kept her word. She moves her hands over his and presses them down on the sides of his head. He could easily push back with little effort but to her surprise, he doesn't. She smirks and lowers her face close to his.

"Well?"

They stared at each other for a few moments. Za'taan smiles and moves his mouth closer to hers. **"I don't know . . ."**

And then, their mouths press against each other roughly. Soon, their tongues battled for dominance and the heat began to rise between them, almost threatening to burn them. Out of pure instinct, Maria beings grinding her hips against him and enjoying the wonderful feeling of tightness that came from his cock, spreading her core to the max. They both moan into each other, whine in ecstasy and edging her to move faster as she pulls her mouth away to get much-needed air but instead lets out a delicious moan. Both of their breathing became labored and Maria could swear that she felt his heart pumping like a drumbeat underneath his hands and into hers. Before long, Maria felt the familiar feeling of her orgasm coming but she wanted to keep going until he came first. She started to doubt her stamina as she kept going further until she noticed a small gleam in his burning red eyes, signaling her that he was ready.

"**Maria. I can't . . . hold it much longer."**

She chuckled at how Za'taan sounded like he was begging her to stop. It gave her the boost to move faster, noticing how the change of pace caused her to feel like his cock was growing thicker with each passing second. Finally, Za'taan couldn't hold it in any longer as he closes his eyes tightly, throwing his head back and ripping his hands away to move them back onto her hips. The warmth of his seed fills her core and that is all she needed to let herself go as well. She screams to the ceiling and claws at his chest until both of their orgasms finish. Her muscles twitch uncontrollably for a few moments, feeling the loss of control over her body but it was a delicious feeling. When her body finally relaxes, Maria slumps down and onto Za'taan. The warmth from his smooth, marble skin over hers brings relief as she tries to catch her breath and hearing Za'taan do the same.

When all is set and done, Maria uses the remainder of her strength to lift her head and rested her chin at the base of his neck, smiling up when his eyes meet her gaze.

"Now . . . What was it you saying?"

In response, Za'taan smiles gently and moves his hand to cup her cheek. **"Honestly . . . I can't remember."**

She chuckles. "Good."

Maria puts her head down and gives a small peck on his chest before resting her head on him and closing her eyes. It was a great distraction to get her mind off of things . . . even if it was for a while.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

After getting cleaned up and dressed, Maria heads out after receiving an invitation to talk to Du'rout privately from one of the guards after mating. Za'taan tried to convince her to decline, noting that his father only wanted to cause trouble for her. She could see that it bothered him quite a lot but she told him to not worry about it. Secretly, she was curious to know what important matter Du'rout wanted to discuss with her. It seemed strange that he didn't want Za'taan to come along. Either way, she made her decision.

Passing through the same dull hallways to which she started to get real tiresome in maneuvering around this maze of room, Maria finally made it to the meeting room that she remembered. She stops in front of the door but pauses, unsure of how to alert whoever was in there. After a few seconds, she takes a leap forward and knocks on the door hard. If only she knew that it was much harder than she thought, she wouldn't have knocked on the door the way she did. Her knuckles radiated with a painful sensation, shaking it off to dull it. She stops when the door opens and a Yautja guard walks through.

He stares at her with an unknown expression that she couldn't pin but it sent shivers down her spine. She had a funny feeling that he wanted to intimidate her but remained unmoved. The guard backs off, tilting his head in curiosity before clicking at her. Again, she didn't understand and stayed silent with a confused look but then the guard turns around and walks back into the room. He turns his head and nods, giving her the signal to follow inside. She takes a deep breath as she steps forward with the door closing behind her.

The meeting room was as Maria remembered except with much fewer Yautjas in one area to which she was glad. She didn't like all the stares and glares in her direction but as she looks up to see Du'rout in his throne, she started having second doubts.

As they approached, she could see something was bothering Du'rout. His head was lowered with his hand rubbing every part of it. It was obvious to her that he seemed stressed about something so she hoped he wasn't in a bad mood. She rather not deal with an angry Yautja. Their footsteps echo in the nearly empty room so Du'rout heard them coming, lifting his face to see Maria was here. The guard stops in front of Du'rout, almost causing Maria to bump into his back. Du'rout raises his hand in a gesture to the guard to leave them. The guard bows before moving around Maria and exiting, leaving just her and the Clan leader all alone.

"**So you came. I thought Za'taan would convince you otherwise."**

Maria shrugs. "He tried but I promised to meet with you. And I keep my word."

She heard Du'rout chuckle lightly and then he stands up from his throne and walks the steps down until he was at the same level as her. She remained as calm as possible as Du'rout closed in on her. Despite seeing what Yautjas are capable of and used to them trying to intimidate her and failing, Du'rout was different. It might be that he's Clan Leader so his posture and demeanor were almost silently telling her to behave or suffer the consequences. The urge to step back was strong but Maria forced herself to stand where she is until Du'rout stops in front of her, looking down with curiosity.

"**You're a strange ooman with a mysterious power. I wonder how Za'taan has taken a liking to you."**

She doesn't answer, not knowing what to say that wouldn't make him mad despite the temptation to say it out loud . . . and it wasn't very nice even to ooman standards. He comes closer to her, taking only a step or two before stopping.

"**So you know why I called you here?"**

"Yes."

Du'rout hums, moving his lower mandibles inward while his upper ones twitched but not out of frustration but rather intrigue as Maria could only describe it.

"**I'll skip the formalities and get straight to the point. It's about you and Za'taan."**

That sent a bit of alarm in Maria's head but wasn't all too surprised, thinking that Za'taan's father didn't like that his son was intimate with her. Anger began to grow like a small lit flame that threatened to burst if more fuel was added but Maria couldn't afford to fight him. He was bigger and more experience as her instincts told her. She takes a deep breath to cool it down.

"What about it?"

"**I can see that you're both love each other deeply. I mean . . . after taking him back three years ago, he wouldn't stop talking about how he needed to return for you."**

Upon hearing that, Maria couldn't help but smile in awe, knowing that Za'taan wanted to find her after healing from his injuries and such. It removed all doubt in her whether he wanted to come back for her or not despite everything.

"**But . . . I worry about your relationship in the future."**

The joy disappeared as quickly as it came as curiosity took over. "Worried?"

Du'rout nods. **"I fear that it might bring danger to both of you . . . now that it's out in the open for everyone to see. Especially after the Maigu Clan showed up to the feast and saw you. There might be some who would use you as an advantage over Za'taan."**

Maria's words began to stutter in her throat. Advantage over Za'taan? But for what purpose? It didn't make sense to her but then again, she didn't have all the details about the strain between the Uhri and Maigu Clans. Wanting to learn more, she nods in response as a front to get Du'rout talking more and he did so without hesitation.

"**Has Za'taan told you of what happened to his half-brother?"**

"Vahrouh."

She said it very quickly, not wanting to repeat his name ever again. It sent a bitter taste through her mouth anyway so she did her best over the years to forget him. However, Du'rout brought it up again and the horrible memories of death and destruction started to flood her mind to which she pushed it away as best as she could. She looks back at Du'rout as he nods with intrigue.

"**So you know then. I should assume that you know what happened before he and Za'taan came to your planet? About the succession?"**

Maria nods. "Of course. He said that his 'half-brother' was to succeed you as next Clan Leader but after seeing his bloodlust, Za'taan challenged him and won. The rest . . . I don't want to repeat."

Du'rout bows his head. **"I understand."**

He starts walking back and forth in front of her with his hands behind his back, looking like he was contemplating what he was going to say next with his cape dragging across the floor. It drove Maria crazy with the wait but she reminded herself not to push it out of line. Eventually, he stops halfway and glances back at her.

"**But what you don't know . . . after the event, not many clans took Za'taan's succession very well. Considering what happened when he was only a pup, along with the incident involving the Maigu clan . . . not many felt he was the right candidate to lead our clan."**

Maria had to pause for a moment to absorb what Du'rout said. What incident? All she knew was that something happened to Za'taan's mother and that he felt guilty and ashamed for not protecting her. That small fragments of memory still haunt her to this day. Seeing Za'taan angry due to the hurt, it was almost frightening to see him like that.

"What incident?"

When she asked, Du'rout closes his eyes and sighs, clearly showing frustration to something. **"It's a long story so I'll only tell you the basics. One of our scouts found information that one of our own was plotting to overthrow me and place another as Clan Leader. I ordered all to locate and capture the traitor alive but . . ."**

Du'rout pauses when his voice got a little rough, threatening to turn into a growl. Maria, however, was trying to process everything she had heard. Overthrow Du'rout and place another as Leader? She couldn't comprehend someone trying to pull a stunt like that. She began to realize that the more she found out about things, the more complicated the situation got. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Du'rout grunt to clear his throat.

"**But, the Maigu Clan had other ideas, believing that they should destroy anyone involved without question. Something that I didn't approve of. They went in anyway and finished them off but of course, consequences soon followed."**

Again, Du'rout pauses but instead, he begins to growl low and it sent Maria's mind on edge, which was already scrambled. **"When it was done, the traitor was dead but one of the hunters killed one of their own by 'accident' or so they said."**

Maria tightens her eyebrows in confusion. "Accident?"

"**Yes. It was Za'taan's mother and current mate at the time . . ."**

Upon hearing that, Maria gasped slightly when she found out the terrible truth. Za'taan's mother killed by her own clan? Out of an accident? This was getting more messed up for her to follow but she stayed attentive as Du'rout continued.

"**After that, I ordered the Yautja who committed the act to be sentenced to death. He was dealt with but the damage was done. I found out later that Za'taan was with her at that time and witness her death. Despite being a pup, we had to interrogate him for information but got nothing. Ever since Za'taan's become cold-hearted while a strain between our clans grew. The Maigu couldn't be punished since they took care of the traitor but it did little to help us find answers as to why the traitor did what they did."**

Du'rout stops and looks towards Maria but she kept her head down, shocked by what she had found out. However, it all made sense to her now. The bitterness she saw at the feast . . . Za'taan's anger towards them . . . and the unbearable pain he showed back on Earth when he talked about his mother . . . everything was coming together. She whipped her mouth when she felt a drop of saliva falling from the corner of her mouth, making her glance at Du'rout once more.

"Why are you telling me this?"

True . . . Maria didn't quite understand the purpose of him telling any of this to a lowly ooman. It wasn't exactly her right to know so he must have some reason. Sure enough, Du'rout explained but it was something she didn't quite expect.

"**I tell you this because I fear of the past repeating itself. Since you are ooman and are a mate to Za'taan, someone out there might use you to make Za'taan weak enough to overthrow or even destroy."**

Maria tries to open her mouth to speak but again, nothing comes out. Her words were stuck in her throat. She closes his mouth shut and glances to the floor, trying to figure out what to do. She didn't want for Za'taan to get hurt because of her. Maria had already lost so many people she loved and to think that someone wanted to kill Za'taan . . . it sent a painful feeling in her chest.

Du'rout comes closer until he leans his head close to her and whispers. **"So I want to ask you. Will you do what it takes to protect him?"**

"I . . ."

She tried to answer his question. In her mind, she wanted to protect him. Za'taan is very precious to her and Maria would do whatever it takes but at the same time, some part of her feared that the way to do that might require to do something painful. She dared not to go that far unless she got more answers.

But all of a sudden, her eyes began to feel heavy and her eyelids began to droop closed. Soon, the rest of her body began to weaken like she ran a marathon for several hours and not stop to take a break. She looks back at Du'rout but her vision became blurry and the next thing she knew . . . everything went dark.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Za'taan's POV]

Every Yautja in the hallway scurried out of the way as Za'taan stomps around in anger. An hour ago, he was training in his room until he got a call that something happened to Maria and he was summoned to the healers. He knew better than to let Maria speak to his father in private. The only thing he could think of is that Maria must have gotten hurt if she had to be taken in a hurry. He was going to get a word to Du'rout and it wasn't going to be a pleasant one.

Za'taan makes it to the door of the healers, surprised that Raith, Ana, Walter were waiting outside. This was most unusual . . . He makes eye contact with Ana and the small female ooman comes racing to him with a concerned look.

"Za'taan! You're here."

"**What has happened to Maria?"**

Ana stutter as Raith comes to her side, wrapping one arm around her shoulder while glancing at Za'taan. **"We don't know. They called for you only. We were lucky to find out and came."**

As Za'taan as asking for more information, the door to the healers open and a single Yautja comes through.

"_My lord Za'taan. Please come in."_

There was no need for the healer to ask permission. He was going to get inside no matter what. Disregarding the Yautja that greeted him, Za'taan pushes him out of the way and runs inside. He knows that they would treat Maria in the separate room like they did with Ana so he sprinted with all of his might until he slammed into the door, almost taking it off the wall. He stops abruptly when he sees his father standing next to Maria who was lying unconscious on the table with another healer on the other side. He looks over Maria's body and sees no visible injuries. It gave him a little relief but he was determined to get a word out. Growling, he stomps towards Du'rout and without warning, grabs his father by the shoulder and glares harshly.

"_What have you done to her!?"_

Despite giving a threatening tone, Du'rout raises his hands as if he wasn't the reason Maria was in here. _"I did nothing to harm her if that's what you're thinking. She merely fainted during our conversation. Nothing more."_

"_Bullshit! You did something! I know it!"_

"_He didn't do anything."_

Another voice calls from behind, forcing Za'taan to turn around and see that it was the healer that he pushed out of the way earlier, holding a panel that they use to analyze data from their patients. The healer seemed calm and collected, indicating to Za'taan that it wasn't completely serious. Coming to that conclusion, Za'taan glares at his father one more time before releasing him. He takes a couple of calm breaths before addressing the healer.

"_What have you found?"_

The healers bow his head. _"We found no physical injuries on her. She merely fainted but we weren't sure what caused it?"_

"_Weren't sure?"_

The healer nods, checking back on the panel in his hands. _"We took a blood sample just in case and we found something that might be connected to her symptoms. And it's quite interesting."_

Za'taan waits as the healer scrolls through the panel once more until he stops moving his hand, finding the very thing he needed. The silence between was killing Za'taan from the inside. He needed to know what was wrong with Maria but what he heard next came as a shock as the healer looks into Za'taan's eyes.

"_She's with pup."_

Right at that moment, everyone in the room froze and inside Za'taan's mind, everything broke into a million pieces. Maria . . . is . . . pregnant? Za'taan's eyes widened in shock and his breath hitched in his throat as he couldn't believe that the love of his life was carried his pup inside of her.

The world around him went in slow motion and a warm feeling began to grow in his chest, thinking about his and Maria's future ahead. But at the same time, a dreaded feeling soon followed and he wondered if there was a reason for it.

**Hi Readers!**

**What a surprise bomb at the end. Maria is pregnant!? With Za'taan's child!? It is a very happy moment for both of them but of course, I warned that there will be tragedy coming but in what form? I mean . . . you have Du'rout telling Maria is she will do what it takes to save Za'taan. Not to mention that Weyland is still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike on this happy occasion and the horrible story of the Maigu and Uhri clan. And did I forget about what happened to Za'taan's mother? **

**Wow . . . So much mystery to solve but what will happen next? Will Maria be happy to know she's pregnant? Will anyone else be joyous about this or feel threatened by the new being growing inside Maria?**

**Find out when Chapter 15 comes next week (Saturday)! **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, Guest, and NeverNeverLady for the wonderful reviews on **_**Metamorphosis.**_** Things will get spicy as well but it's slower paced than **_**Endurance **_**but a lot more secrets along with **_**Nexus. **_

**Also, for Anonymous-E, I got your notes on the request story and it will help a lot. And I decided to use the title "Respect" for the story. I tried to think of everything else but somehow, that title sticks in my brain so I'm taking a leap of faith and choosing that. I hope you love it but let me know if you decide something else. **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	15. Chapter 15 (Surprise)

Chapter 15: Surprise

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Raith's POV]

All three of Maria's friends waited intently for news if Maria is alright or not. Ana and Walter have no idea what was going on but Raith has some information on what's going on. There had to be a very good reason for the Clan Leader to tell the healers to stop whatever we're doing and come to the backroom for a mere ooman. It must be very serious but he remained composed, at least for Ana's sake. He turns to see her fiddling with her fingers while biting her lower lip, indicating she was nervous so he placed a gentle hand on her shoulders. She quickly looks up to him and Raith smiles as best as he could. It did some good as Ana gave him a small smile. It was enough for him.

But then, the door opens and all three of them turned fast to see Lord Du'rout come out. Raith was Ana about to rush towards his father, not knowing that it was inappropriate in Yautja culture or else you'll end up getting hurt. Raith tightens his hold on her but only enough to stop her. She turns with a frustrated look but freezes when he shakes his head from side to side and relaxes a bit. But Raith knows that as Maria's best friend, she would want to be the first to know.

"_Is everything alright, my Lord?"_

He watched Du'rout move towards them until he stopped in the middle of the open circle with Walter on one side and Ana with Raith on the other side. There was only silence in the room until Du'rout takes a glance around, stopping in Raith's direction.

"_The female is fine but I need to discuss with you in private."_

Raith stayed composed and nodded but inside, he became more confused than ever before. The door to the room opens again as a healer poked his head out to check on them. Du'rout turns his head around and signals the healer.

"_Let the female's friends in."_

The healer nods and pushes the door all the way open and stays to the side to clear a pathway. Raith looks to Ana who looked concerned and confused at the same time. Walter, on the other hand, strangely seemed curious despite not knowing anything. Raith ignites it and looks to Ana.

"**You and Walter can go in, Ana. I have to talk with the Clan Leader . . . and Maria's waiting for you."**

He saw a sincere smile creeping on her lips but he knows it was only a front so he would feel better. His eyes read to show Ana he was alright as his hand reaches to cup her cheek. Her skin felt so soft and warm and his heart skipped a beat when she closed her eyes and pressed her face into his palm. She pulls back and giggles a little before pulling away. His heart drops a bit in sadness but he knows Ana needed to be with her friend right now. Ana runs into the room, disappearing from his sights while Walter takes his time to follow behind. Somehow, Raith can sense something in Walter that didn't sit well with him but he couldn't pin it. But right now, it mattered little as Du'rout comes to his side, giving him a look to follow as he passed by towards the exit. Rusty sighs and starts walking, figuring that whatever is there to talk about must not be good . . . for his father at least.

. . . . . . . . . . .

After the tedious walk, Raith and Du'rout made it to a private room that was unoccupied on the ship. Once inside, Raith get the air in the room changed dramatically and it was coming directly from his father. If it wasn't too obvious, he saw Du'rout began pacing back and forth in an angry manner. Something was up with him that his father didn't like at all since he's only seen this behavior once at the lowest point of Raith's life.

"_What's bothering you, my Lord?"_

"_This changes everything!"_

Du'rout roars all of a sudden, making Raith jumped instinctually like someone was about to attack him. His father's pact started to speed up and Raith noticed how tight his fists were becoming. But what was he talking about?

"_What has changed? What's happened to Maria?"_

When he said that, Du'rout suddenly stops and faces towards him, looking clearly frustrated with his mandibles almost sprayed out as if preparing to roar again.

"_The ooman female is with pup."_

Right then and there, Raith, upon hearing the words, froze in shock. Maria's pregnant with Za'taan's child? He was the only being that Maria he ever been this with the whole time she was here. He has to close his eyes tightly for a moment to get rid of the headache that was coming on. First, his father acting all mad for a reason he didn't know about but after learning of that reason, there was stop much information for him to absorb all at once. He looks back at Du'rout stunned and confused.

"_How is this possible? I thought that Yautja and oomans can't breed with each other?"_

Du'rout growls and resumes his back and forth walking across the room. _"You're right about that but the healers checked her multiple times and confirmed it. Somehow, the female is possibly carrying a hybrid pup against what nature has dictated. But this changes the plan altogether!"_

Raith was taken aback by what his father was saying. Even during this time when there should be joy, Du'rout only thinks about himself and his stupid plan of his. Too angry to think about the consequences, Raith stomps towards Du'rout and grabs his shoulders, pushing all the way until he slams him into the wall. Both do them growl at one another like two males ready to fight it out.

"_Is that all you think about?! Only what you think is best for you and the Clan when this should be a joyous moment for Za'taan and Maria! You have no right to do this!"_

Raith didn't see what was coming as his body suddenly flew until he slammed down onto the floor on his back with a hand squeezing his neck. Instinctually, he tries to let out a roar in Du'rout's face but the grip on his neck tightens to the point that he could barely breathe. Then, he watched as Du'rout brings his fist down on his face, sending a massive jolt of pain that surprisingly went down his neck and all the way to his toes. He figured as much since his father was indeed stronger than him. Another punch comes and this time, he could feel his mouth filling with a little bit of blood while the muscles in his lower mandible felt like someone glued them together in a painful way. He guessed that it must be broken. After that, the attack stops and Raith looks up to see Du'rout glaring at him, showing his displeasure by opening his mandibles to the fullest extent.

Du'rout speaks in a low town voice but lined with a bit of anger. _"No right? It was my right that spared you from getting butchered like the rest of the Bad Bloods on that day. It was my right that no one found out about you being with them. My right is what made you who you are today."_

He stops and brings his face closer to Raith, which he didn't like at all but couldn't exactly express his displeasure to his father. He was cornered and had no choice but to listen to the rest of what Du'rout wanted to say.

"_I. Own. Your. Life. And that cut I gave you should be reminding you of that."_

At that moment, Raith knew what his father was talking about as he managed to look to the side of his face to catch a glimpse of the split dreadlock that laid on his shoulder. How could he ever forget that? It was an awful reminder but he couldn't exactly cut it off without his father noticing it was gone. And that would bring more trouble than he wanted. The horrid memories came back as well but there was nothing he can do to stop it.

"_Mother. Where are we heading?" _

The image of his mother comes into view and he remembers her dragging his small form around through a vast wasteland when he was a pup. He thought that they were going somewhere to practice hunting but this is not what he had in mind when his mother told him about this trip. Everything was going so fast and he couldn't stop it.

"_Trust me, Raith. I'm doing this to ensure your future in the Clan."_

When he looks up to his face, the look she gave him was one that he never wanted to see ever again. The one part of his memory that he wished was forgotten. There was no emotion on her face but her eyes were that of pitch black, scaring him beyond reason.

"_Mother! Let me go! Please!"_

He started to panic and tried to pull away but his mother's grip tightened. It got worse when she saw a knife being pulled out from her belt as she brought it up to her face.

"_I promised that I would do whatever it takes to put you next in line. Whatever it takes . . ."_

The image took a dark turn as his mother brought the knife closer to him. This isn't supposed to happen. It wasn't!

But then, Raith was brought back to reality when he felt Du'rout let go of Raith's neck. He held himself up when he felt his body start to fall from the sudden weakness. He watches as Du'rout stands back up while padding off the dust that his armor collected. It took Raith a little longer to get up since his lungs needed time to fill up with air. Plus, every time he moved, the pain would radiate all over his body and only letting him stand on his knees as he spits the neon blood out of his mouth. He keeps his eyes down for a moment before he heard a growl coming from Du'rout. Slowly, he lifts them up and stares at his father.

"_I need the ooman female to understand that there is no such place for her in our world. Her presence is endangering our Clan's survival but she's also the key to it as well. She must make her own decision to leave Za'taan and let him take over as Clan Leader when I'm done. With this pup she carries now . . ."_

Du'rout had to stop for a moment, grinding his teeth together to calm himself down. _"It will be harder . . . but we must find a way. Forcing Za'taan didn't do us well the last time so you see why I have no option but to do this."_

With that, Raith saw him turn to the side a bit and close his eyes in concentration. It only took a moment before Du'rout opened them once more, turning his gaze back to him and about to say something else until a knock on the door interrupted. From what he could tell, Raith guessed that it was very urgent or else they would never keep on banging the door like that. Du'rout didn't want any of it and roared, making the knocking sound stop.

"_What is it!? I told you not to interrupt unless I say so!"_

"_My apologies but there's a situation that requires your attention."_

Raith watched Du'rout hold in all the anger, closing his eyes and making a small growl in his throat. A few seconds pass until Du'rout starts relaxing, letting his shoulders slump a bit while flexing his fingers. He takes a couple of deep breaths before opening his eyes and starts walking to the door but not before having one last word.

"_I suggest you worry about yourself and that ooman female you're so interested in. You never know what could happen."_

That last part his father said that sounded like a threat to him, it sent a jolt of rage inside of him. But as soon as he decided to say something back at Du'rout, he was already gone. Raith growls in frustration as he gets up. Unable to hold it in any longer, he runs to the nearest wall and smashes his fist into it, creating a slight dent, which would have to be fixed before anyone uses the room. He pulls away and walks out of the room and into the hallway, hoping to not run into anyone as he heads to his room, which felt like an eternity for him.

Once there, he reaches to open the door until he heard a voice calling to him from the hallway.

"Raith!"

Involuntarily, he turns to see Ana hustling towards him with a small smile to her face. He can only guess that she must have heard the news of her friend's pregnancy. But as she came closer to him, he saw that smile slowly disappear from his face. It confused him greatly until she stops inches in front of him, gasping a little with concern.

"Raith. What happened to you?"

Without hesitation, she reaches towards his face. Normally, any Yautja would have pulled away and growled since they would see it as a threat of some kind. But knowing that Ana wouldn't do anything like that, he lets her touch his face and winces when she grazes her fingertips on his broken mandible. Ana pulls away from a little but keeps her hand on him but gentler this time.

"Did you get into a fight?"

Her brown eyes stared right into his and it took everything in him not to let all of his raw emotions out, fearing that it might scare her since it was mostly rage boiling inside him. He grabs her hand and pulls it away but holds it in his.

"**Let's get inside."**

Ana looks at their hands and turns back to nod. "Okay."

With that, both of them went inside the room and closed the door behind them. Ana urged Raith to sit on the bed in which he does so without any reluctance. When he's settled in, Ana takes off into another part of the room where the healing supplies were stored. Every Yautja would have them in case they either only healing small injuries that needed little attention or in emergencies. Raith waited for her until she saw her carrying healing cloths, a tube containing healing gel, and a towel for washing. She places them on the bed and sits next to him, using her hands to inspect his injuries.

"_You must have been in a nasty fight. What were you thinking?"_

It sounded like she was scolding him but it was nothing compared to all the years he had that lecture with his father. It wasn't new to him but if he had to choose the lesser evil, he'd rather get it from Ana. At least she only did it to help him and not to beat him down like scum. Raith watched as Ana poured some healing gel on her hands and began rubbing it on some of the cuts that he hadn't noticed until now. When that was done, Ana wiped her hands with the towel and grabbed a roll of healing cloth, lifting up towards his broken mandible while using her other hand to move it gently into position. It felt good to feel her skin that he compared to touching marble . . . soft but warm at the same time. He closed his eyes and allowed her to wrap the cloth around his mandible until she tied the ends together, pulling away and admiring her handiwork.

"There. That should keep it stable until it's all better. You should be more careful."

Raith looks back at Ana who was smiling a little at him. His heart began to pound from those brown eyes that seem to glow when he looked deep into them. But then, he noticed her gathering the healing supplies from the bed and starts lifting herself off. He didn't want her to go and so before she could walk away, Raith grabbed her hand, causing her to let the supplies fall onto the floor as she gasped.

"Raith?"

"**Don't . . . go."**

He didn't know what else to say but it was enough to send his message to her. After everything today, his heart wanted something more and it felt like Ana was the only one that can provide it. At first, he couldn't read her face as she just stared at him until her facial expression changed, showing genuine concern for him. She nods and sits next to him, not pulling away from his grasp as he thought she would do. He closes his eyes and lowers his head, trying to think of anything to say to her but she beat him to it.

"If there's something you like to talk about, I'm here for you."

Raith lifts his head to her and looks back into her eyes. The feeling from before comes back ten-fold as he began to speak about the recent events, starting with the biggest one.

"**I . . . assume you . . . heard about . . . your friend."**

Ana nods, smiling again like before. "I heard. I can't believe that Maria's going to be a mother! In some ways, I'm proud of her and Za'taan. But . . . I'm also afraid."

Her smile disappears and the glow he saw in her eyes begins to fade. He didn't want that to go away so he wrapped one arm around her shoulders pulling her close to him.

"**Why . . . so . . . afraid?"**

Raith waits patiently as she clears her throat and looks back at him. "I'm afraid that others might try and hurt her. I can't explain it but the feeling won't go away."

With that, Ana lowers her head down and Raith can sense her fear and concern for her friend and in turn, his heart began to tremble. He moves his body until he's kneeling on the floor in front of Ana and holds her hands in his, comparing how enormous he was since he's twice as big as her. It mattered little as he leans his head closer to her when she lifts her gaze in surprise.

"**It will . . . be okay. I won't . . . let anyone . . . hurt you or . . . your friend. I promise."**

When he said that last part, he remembers the recent argument with his father and how he felt about it. He can't stand back in silence anymore . . . not after all the pain both he and Za'taan have gone through since . . . that day. The only reason why he didn't do so earlier is that he had nothing worth fighting for. But now . . . things have changed.

He looks directly into Ana's eyes and that feeling comes back once more when the glow in her eyes grew stronger. He could hear her breath starting to pick up the pace and he could have sworn that he could hear her heart beating wildly. Something was happening between the two of them but he liked it. He couldn't take it anymore and made a bold move, bringing his face closer to hers until his mouth presses on her, letting his mandibles open wide with the exception of his broken one that laid on the side of her cheek. He closes his eyes and begins to enjoy the wonderful sensation he'd never felt before . . . foreign but sweet as her lips caress the teeth of his inner mouth, almost making him purr in delight.

When he pulls away from her, he opens his eyes slowly and saw the shocked look on Ana's and it made her feel like an idiot for pulling a stunt like that. He shouldn't have done that! Deciding that this was enough, he begins to pull away when he felt Ana's hand wrapped around his head and grab onto one of his dreadlocks. Instinctually, he growls from the sensitive sensation her touch brought but it wasn't painful as much as it was pleasurable. He gasps when she yanks once more but their eyes never lost contact with each other. Something was growing between them and neither of them couldn't hold it in any longer. Soon, Ana brings her lips back to his mouth and Raith stands up, hugging her small form as he crawls onto the bed and lays down with Ana underneath.

They keep this up, letting themselves fall into a deep pleasure as the hours passed before them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

What seemed like forever, Maria was able to feel her senses return to her. However, it took a bit longer for her eyes to open but as she was working on them, she could hear Za'taan's sweet voice calling to her.

"**Maria."**

It was soothing and gentle but a hint of concern could be heard in his voice. She tried to call for him but all she let out was a groan from the headache that was coming on. Then, a hand began to gently caress her head and it helped to make her feel better. Soon, her strength was returning and finally, she was able to open her eyes and when she did, she saw Za'taan looking down to her with a small smile with her head on his lap.

"**You're finally awake."**

Maria lets out a huge yawn and looks up to him, happy but a bit confused. "Za'taan? Why are you here?"

The last thing she remembers was talking to Du'rout about some 'things' concerning her relationship with Za'taan. She groans while she used Za'taan's arm to lift herself up a bit and looked around to see she wasn't in the meeting room anymore, rather lying on Za'taan's bed.

"Why am I here? I don't remember walking back here."

"**You passed out all of a sudden when talking with Du'rout. But you're alright."**

Maria had to do a double-take on her memories and realized that it might be true that she did. All she could remember was that she blacked out from feeling a little faint and exhausted. She slapped a hand on her forehead, feeling quite embarrassed that she pulled a stunt like that.

"That's just great. I must have been tired from all the stress lately."

She puts her head down and looks up to Za'taan but then she noticed how strange he was acting. She saw his eyes wander off somewhere else, avoiding her gaze for a moment but she couldn't sense anything but knew he was thinking of something. She lifts herself onto her knees and scoots closer to him, nudging her shoulder on his.

"What's on your mind?"

When he didn't answer, she nudged again and Za'taan responds by taking a deep breath before turning his gaze to her. **"You didn't just pass out. There's something else."**

That sent her mind in a bit of panic, thinking of the worst-case scenario. "Am I sick?"

Za'taan chuckles out of nowhere, shaking his head around while his dreadlocks almost hit her face. **"No, you're not sick but you do have something."**

"Then what is it? Tell me."

She watches him open his mouth but then clamps down, looking unsure of how to answer. It started to drive her nuts until he finally spoke but what he said was far from what she expected.

"**You're pregnant."**

Maria was about to say something but everything around her stood still as those words echoed in her head. She was . . . pregnant? Her mind went blank and her body stood as still as a statue, trying to comprehend what she just heard. If she really was pregnant, the only being she's ever been intimate with was Za'taan. She didn't think it would be possible given that they were two completely different species. It took like forever for Maria to get enough of her senses back to look back at Za'taan and ask him a million questions.

"How can I be pregnant? I mean . . . you and I . . . different being . . . Can this be possible? I don't know what to do. I . . ."

She was stopped when Za'taan hushed her by placing a finger onto her lips for a minute. **"Calm down, Maria. Take a deep breath."**

Listening to Za'taan's words, she closes her eyes and takes a breath into her lungs and lets it out slowly. When she feels that she's calm enough, Maria opens her eyes and looks into Za'taan's red ones.

"Is it true?"

Za'taan nods. **"The healers checked you when my father brought you to them. It's the reason why you've been eating and sleeping a lot, not to mention why you passed out. In ooman culture, it's normal for a female to have these symptoms or so I was told."**

"But . . . it is possible for Yautja and an ooman to have children together?"

When she asked, Za'taan shook his head. **"Not really. Our DNA has a different composition between oomans so logically . . . it would be impossible but here we are."**

Although Maria trusted Za'taan's words as he was telling her this, one part of her mind was scared to ask what Za'taan feels about this child growing inside of her. Is he on board with this? Does he want this child with her? They didn't exactly discuss such a topic when they were together. She only assumed that she couldn't produce a child with him so she thought it was okay. But things have changed and she needed to ask him . . . whether she wanted to hear the answer or not. She scoots until she's kneeling next to him. She hesitated but did her best to get the words out.

"How do you . . . feel about this?"

"**What do you mean?"**

Maria could see the confusion on his face, probably not understanding what she meant when she asked that. She cleared her throat and takes a deep breath to slow down her nervous heart before looking back into his eyes.

"I mean . . . do you want this child with me? We haven't exactly had a conversation about if we wanted this."

She looks down at her hands while she fiddled with her fingers, waiting for Za'taan's answer to her question. It was only silence for some time and Maria feared that he may not be thrilled to have a child with her. She was about to admit defeat and moved away from him until his arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her tightly to him. She gasped at the sudden change and lifts her head up to see him looking down at her with a smile.

"**What makes you think I don't want this. True . . . at first, I was shocked but after thinking about it, I couldn't be happier to know that I'm going to be a father to this child with the person I love. I'm happy."**

Za'taan places a hand on her cheek lovingly and rubs it back and forth, calming Maria down enough but also letting a strong emotion of happiness grow inside her. It was becoming too much and Maria smiles to him, letting a small tear fall from the corner of her eye. Za'taan sees this and brings his other hand to catch it. She watches him bring it close to his mouth and tastes it. She heard him groan as he opens his eyes back to her. Both smile at each other as his hand reached down between them until it lands comfortably on her lower stomach, rubbing it in the process. Maria does the same and places her hand on top of hers, feeling the warmth of his skin on hers. She leaned her head until their foreheads pressed against each other, causing Za'taan to purr in delight. She couldn't believe that this was happening but it was and she felt so happy at that moment.

But then, she remembers the meeting with Du'rout, especially the last words he'd spoken to her before she passed out.

_Will you do what it takes to protect him? _

The doubt started to creep in and Maria feared what will happen now that she's pregnant with Za'taan's child. Will there be someone out there who will try and use her to get to Za'taan? Especially since her life and her child's is in the way. She feared for the future.

But was soon pushed back when Za'taan wraps his arms around her body, purring at the right moment for Maria to push back the doubts in her. Right now, she wanted to enjoy this moment with Za'taan. She moves her head and lays the side of her face in the middle of his chest, humming when she heard his strong heartbeat. It was the perfect moment . . .

Then all of a sudden, someone knocked on the door and both Za'taan and Maria jumped a little in surprise. This didn't suit well for Za'taan as he growled in frustration, not wanting to be interrupted in this special moment.

Za'taan lifts his head to the door and roars something to the mysterious person behind the door and it frustrated Maria not knowing what they were saying. She swears to learn the Yautja language at some point because this was ridiculous. But then, she saw Za'taan's expression turn from anger to concern in a flash. It got Maria's attention very fast as she knew something was up but waited until Za'taan grunts, lifting himself from the bed with Maria in his arms until they were on their feet.

"What's wrong?"

"**One of our scouts brought back someone from a hunt, claiming that they know you."**

Maria was surprised. "Me?"

Za'taan nodded, looking at her with confusion as well. **"Were you expecting anyone?"**

She shakes her head immediately. "No, I don't. It's only Walter and Ana that I know."

"**I see. Either way, we need to go to the loading docks and find out. Are you alright to move?"**

Maria nods. "Of course. I want to know as well."

They both looked at each other and took off, making their way to the loading docks for a surprise that no one would have ever expected . . . and unsure if it was for the better.

**Hi Readers!**

**So we're getting some background information on Raith and from what we know, it doesn't sound like a happy childhood. Something about his mother that scares him and then his father abusing him like he's merely a tool for his plans to separate Maria and Za'taan. At least, he's fighting back a little for Ana's friend and maybe himself. **

**But he does get some action with Ana. Yum! ;D**

**But who is this mysterious person that the scout picked up, claiming to know Maria? Do you think it's good news or something else? I have a funny feeling that it has something to do with 'he who should be killed' idiot. I'm sure you know what I mean. :) **

**Find out when Chapter 16 comes next week (Saturday)! **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E and Maria, Guest, and NeverNeverLady for the wonderful reviews on **_**Nexus. **_**To answer Maria's review, **_**Nexus **_**is a prelude to **_**Twisted Fate**_** and the answers to your questions on whether Mia is Anya's mother can also be found there. It's a little complex but then again, Anya's life is never simple . . . Poor girl. **

**Also, for Anonymous-E, a lot of secrets are starting to pop out that shows the connections between Daugo and Anya's stories. What a conspiracy! :O And thank you for the notes on the **_**Respect**_** story. If you have any more information to share, I'm all ears. Especially with the music but do want to ask if you like songs from Guardians of the Galaxy. They are my personal favorites. Let me know. :) **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	16. Chapter 16 (Guest of Honor)

Chapter 16: Guest of Honor

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

Without wasting time, Maria and Za'taan rush through the hallway in a power walk, heading towards the loading docks to find out what or who the hunting party has brought. Maria was especially curious since she was informed that it was someone requesting for her. But who could it be? The only people that she'd known were Walter and Ana . . . there shouldn't be anyone else. Something inside her warned her to be cautious when they finally enter. She glances over to Za'taan at her side who stood much taller than she ever saw him before. It gave her so much pride to have him with her but she could see from the tightening of his mandibles to the leer growing in his eyes that this was very serious.

After a while of walking through the stupid hallways, as Maria kept telling herself since they gave her such a headache, she saw a bolted door only a few feet away but looks different from the many that she'd seen before but also very familiar. It looks almost like a duplicate of the healer's door so it gave Maria some indication that the loading docks is also a place that has extra security but the reason for it remains elusive. Two guards stood at each end with long, sharpened spears crossed in front, making them look like statues than living creatures with the mask on their faces as well. One turns his head to Za'taan and steps forward as Za'taan and Maria stopped. She waited and tried to listen in on the conversation between the guard and Za'taan, only able to get some information from Za'taan's facial expressions. But it was hard for her to keep up. One minute, Za'taan looked calm and collected and then the next minute, his mandibles would open slightly in anger and then relax. It took a tug of his arm for Za'taan to end the conversation with the guard and turn to Maria, grunting in frustration.

"What is it?"

Maria asked but tried to sound as subtle as possible but her curiosity and worry were getting the best of her and she tugged yet again. Za'taan wipes his hand slowly over his face before answering.

"_**It seems that the 'guest of honor' had to be transferred to a holding cell. The guard told me that they were acting frantic and out of control so they had no choice but to restrain."**_

"Transferred? That badly?"

Maria heard a bit from Za'taan about the holding cells his clan used to trap the usual kind: prisoners that were deemed Bad Bloods or even worse. But what made it different to the ones that Maria was familiar to back on Earth is that the prisoner is chained heavily to steel walls and then placed in a dark room where their senses . . . touch, smell, taste, and sight . . . were blocked so the individual can't do anything. They keep the hearing untouched so the sounds that they can hear would drive them mad since it was made up of growls and cries of fear and anger. Maria's skin crawled when she heard it for the first time and wished that no one would have to go through that but she didn't have power so there was nothing she can do.

She looks straight into his eyes and saw that he wasn't lying as he nodded. _**"It seems so. But we need to know who it is before they start torturing them." **_

Za'taan pauses and looks at Maria with worry. _**"That means we have to go down there. Are you sure you'll be alright?"**_

Maria doesn't hesitate. "Of course. As much as I hate that place, I can't sit back until I know who called for me. Please . . ."

She pushes her hand through his and puts a tight grip on it while staring into his red eyes, showing that she meant it. Za'taan doesn't move a muscle until he closes his eyes and opens back up with a sigh.

"_**Alright. But you need to stay very close to me. Who knows what might happen and it's not just you that I need to protect now."**_

Without hesitation, Za'taan pulls his hand out of hers and places it on her lower stomach, caressing it with such gentleness. Maria smiles and places her hand on top of his, feeling his warmth spread into her limbs and chest that soothed her strong beating heart. A smile forms on both of their mouths and Maria nods.

"I understand . . . but I'll be alright. Promise."

She could see a slight hesitation in Za'taan but it disappears before she could think any more of it due to the distraction that he created by bringing her hand close to his cheek and lets it rest, causing a purr to erupt out of his chest. They looked at each other one more time, not saying a word but their eyes were enough to convey the message of comfort between them. They nodded at each other once more before heading off to the holding cells.

Like the old fashioned way Maria thought, the cells were located at the lowest level of the ship and if one didn't know where they are, the lack of light as you go further down is enough to indicate that you're going in the right direction. For Maria, it was all too clear and her hair started to stand up once they passed through a door that was more heavily guarded than the rest of the doors she'd seen. This one had thick chains crossing over the door like it was keeping something dangerous inside instead of many prisoners in small cells. It gave a bad vibe in her but she kept telling herself to not worry too much and focus on the task at hand. She stayed close to Za'taan as they made their way deeper down until another door stood in the way with three guards standing vigilant. Maria wonders how many Yautjas are on this ship, much more of why so many are guarding doors.

However, this time, one of the guards moved himself to block the path between Za'taan and Maria from the door. Again, Za'taan spoke to the guard and she listened but she could sense something was different. He saw the guard tighten on his spear and moved it into a fighting position. Za'taan didn't like this and growled in warning, only giving off a low one but enough to send shivers all over her arms. She felt that the situation was going to get worse until the door behind them opened, startling everyone in the vicinity, including the guards who jolted around and brought their spears forward. It was a big mistake for them when it was Dur'out who came through. Immediately, the guards relaxed, almost like they were trying to make it seem that they didn't react. It doesn't slip from Du'rout and Maria heard him growl over to the guard that was in front of Za'taan and Maria, bowing low to the ground in some form of apology she assumed. Without warning, Du'rout slaps the guard's head across, creating such a loud sound that startled her so she moved closer to Za'taan, positioning just behind his arm. Za'taan turns to see and reassures her with a purr and Maria relaxed a little bit. Both of them turned their attention to Du'rout who merely straightens himself out as if he did nothing wrong and walked towards them.

"**My apologies for the guard's behavior. They are always on edge and for good reason. But sometimes . . . they can take their job too literally."**

Du'rout stops a few feet in front and bows his head a little . . . first with Za'taan and then to Maria. Both reciprocated the same and bowed in respect, raising their faces back to them as Za'taan responds.

"**Father. Why was the 'guest' transferred to the holding cells?"**

Du'rout grunts. **"The ooman was frantic and acting as a lowly beast. We had no choice but to restrain and place it into the best containment we have on the ship."**

Za'taan growls but it doesn't stop Maria from widening her eyes in realization. She heard Du'rout say that it was an ooman . . . and that they knew her . . . so she had a suspicion that it could be one person she had known back on Earth. Without thinking, Maria pushes Za'taan's arm out of the way so that she could place herself in between, facing Du'rout.

"You said the guest was an ooman? Who is this person? What do they look like? How—?"

She didn't get a chance to speak anymore as Za'taan pulls her back, wrapping his arms around her body with a vise grip but only enough to hold her in place while his hand covered her mouth. She muffled but no words were coming out so she turned her gaze in frustration at Za'taan but stops when he shakes his head.

"**Calm down, Maria. Please."**

Maria stopped struggling upon hearing his voice full of concern. She twists her neck around and saw that his face conveys the same feeling. Soon, her body relaxes and so did Za'taan's grip until he lets go but keeps a hand on her shoulder in case. Maria takes a few breaths and nods to Za'taan, making sure he knew she was alright. His eyes ease a little as she turns around, facing Du'rout as he sighs.

"**Anyway . . . The ooman kept calling for you so we can only assume that you know each other. We haven't done anything but keep her contained until you had come."**

"Well, I'm here now. Can you please show me where they are?"

Du'rout bows his head a little and begins walking through the heavy door with Za'taan and Maria in pursuit.

When they entered, Maria had to use all of her might to not gasp in horror. There were rows of cells on each side, lining the walls but only had very little space for each one. Most were empty but walking a bit further, Maria saw a line Yautja curled in a fetal position at the back corner of the cells. She only got a glimpse of the Yautja but it was enough to see his hands and ankles bound together tightly with chains connected to the solid wall. What freaked her, even more, is when she saw the Yautja shaking badly like an animal that was beaten and she believed he was after noticing the scars and drops of blood from his arms. She could hear faint whimpers coming from his mouth and it took everything in her not to throw up. How can they do such a thing?

Za'taan must have noticed since Maria felt her body being drawn closer to his side in a protective manner. She refused to look up in fear that she would lose it but heard him purr in a sorrowful way. It broke her heart a little and she worried that she must have done something wrong until she heard him whisper.

"**It's alright. I'm here."**

He purrs again quietly and Maria felt at ease once more. She didn't say anything but nudged her nose on the side of his arm lovingly, hoping he understood the message. She dares herself to look up and his eyes lower to meet hers and a small warmth filled her chest when the bright red color shined in Za'taan. She smiled and lowered her head, telling herself not to look anywhere else other than the floor. She heard more whimpers and sometimes a small roar of pain echoing from further down the hallway but Maria bit her lip to ignore it.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Du'rout makes a sudden stop and turns to the holding cell on the right. Za'taan and Maria stops a few feet away and remained there until Du'rout glances to them.

"**Here's the ooman we found. Za'taan . . . let her come."**

Maria was a bit confused as to why he said something like that until she noticed that Za'taan hadn't let go of his grip on her, making it almost impossible for her to move forward. At first, Za'taan doesn't respond and that must of drove Du'rout's impatience because the next thing Maria knew, Du'rout began to growl and opened his mandibles slightly to show his displeasure. Za'taan responds back with a growl of his own and it shook Maria's bones to the core. She didn't want to witness a fight right now in a place she'd rather not be in so she tugged on Za'taan's arm, forcing him to look down.

"Za'taan. It's okay. I won't do anything to upset you. I want to know who it is."

"**But—"**

Maria pressed a finger to his inner mouth before he could say anymore. As much as she appreciated his concern, she needed to find out who this guest of honor is and why they had called for her. She smiles, letting her hand wander across his face until it stops on his lower mandible, caressing it gently to which it did some effect in calming him down.

"Trust me."

Not giving him a chance to react, Maria pulls away and walks over to Du'rout's side. The anticipation of finding out made her heart beat fast like a drum, making it harder for her to control her breathing in a manageable manner. Still, she kept walking until she makes it to Du'rout, noting how bigger he was compared to her size, almost as big as Za'taan. Du'rout nods and looks into the cell, not saying anything but it was a clear enough message for Maria. She turns her gaze over to the cells and looks into it.

Right in the very corner of the cell, a small being was curled in a similar fashion like the first Yautja prisoner Maria had seen. But she could see that it was definitely ooman due to seeing the fair, light skin where the little bit of light shined on. Other than that, the darkness kept Maria from noticing anything else except for the small cries coming inside so she knew someone was in there. She leans her head closer to the cell but due to fear of the unknown, she doesn't push it further. Despite that, Maria wanted to help whoever this person one, especially now that she knew it was an ooman so maybe by seeing another fellow human, it might make the situation easier. So she decides to call out, slowing down her speech to pronounce her words carefully.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

At first, she gets no response so Maria tries again. "Don't be afraid. I'm a friend and I can help you. Please."

A few moments passed but gets nothing again. Maria was about to give up when she heard shifting and dragging of chains that were getting closer. The skin that she saw earlier became bigger, revealing it to be part of a forearm that definitely belonged to an ooman. Maria waits patiently as the figure comes closer into the small speck of light provided from the ceiling. Next, she saw feet emerging and then a torso that was pretty small in comparison to what Maria had seen but when she saw a small scar stretching across the abdomen, Maria's eyes widened in shock because there was the only person she knew it belonged to. Sure enough, it was confirmed when the face of the figure finally comes into the light, making Maria gasp.

"Tane?"

There was no doubt it was. She remembers those small, brown eyes as the same ones stared into her own, widening in shock as well. And then, that sweet, soft voice calls to Maria but louder than before.

"Maria!"

Without warning, Tane sprints forward and grabs onto the bars with a loud thud, amplified when the chains on her wrist clanked on them. It took Maria by surprise and out of reaction, jumps back, only to hit her back on something solid. It wasn't until she turned around that it was Za'taan but he whips her around behind him body before she could ask. She watched as Za'taan and Du'rout growls viciously at Tane but she doesn't back down. Instead, it only makes her more frantic and she starts shaking the bars in desperation.

"Maria! Thank the fucking God it's you! Please! Help me!"

Tane reaches out for Maria, clawing at the air between but before Maria can reach for her friend, Za'taan pulls her away while the chains on Tane begin to shorten, pulling her back to the wall. Maria watches as Tane screams for her while being dragged back. Without the strength to stop it, Tane is thrust back hard, hitting the wall during the process with a large thud. Maria, afraid for her friend's safety, manages to wrangle free of Za'taan and rushes over to the cell but a strong hand grips her wrist and stopping her advancement. She turns around and yells at Za'taan who held her in place.

"Let me go! I need to see her!"

She tries to pull away but Za'taan made sure she wasn't going anywhere while hearing Tane's screams getting weaker. Still, Maria tries with all her might to break free. "Please!"

"**I can't let you. She's too dangerous."**

"She's not! She's my friend and scared to death! I can reason with her but you need to let me!"

"**Your friend?"**

This time, it was Du'rout who spoke in confusion about what Maria just said, stepping in between Za'taan and Maria but not enough to break Za'taan's hold on her. "Yes! I knew her when I was imprisoned in Weyland so I know her well! We helped each other to find an escape plan! So please let me talk to her!"

With that, Du'rout stared at her far longer than she was comfortable with but as soon as she was about to plead once more, Du'rout turns to Za'taan and both look at each other.

"**Let her go, Za'taan."**

"**What?"**

Maria could see the disbelief in his voice and eyes and then heard a small growl coming from him. **"Are you insane? The female looks delusional and might hurt Maria, even if it's unintentional. Are you forgetting she's also pregnant and anything might happen if put in a situation like this?"**

She can feel Za'taan's grip on her wrist grow stronger, enough to actually start to make the rest of her arms tingle from the constriction. Maria understood his desire to protect her and their unborn pup but she wasn't that weak to not be around another ooman that needs her help. The anger inside grew and when she saw that his focus was directed at Du'rout, she pulls fast and manages to free her hand from him. Za'taan swiftly turns his head to her, looking a bit shocked when Maria starts to rant her aggression on him.

"I'm not that weak, Za'taan. I know in my heart that Tane won't hurt me. After being put in a dark cell like this and by Yautjas she doesn't know, it's no wonder she's acting out like this. If I can reason with her, she might calm down enough to tell what happened to her."

She pauses to catch her breath, which helps to calm herself down but makes sure not to lose eye contact with Za'taan. "You need to trust me on this. I know you mean well so I'll be careful."

The silence grew between the two of them, making it seem like time had slowed down until Za'taan closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and Maria could see that it was taking all of his willpower to not lash out in anger. In a surprise, Du'rout comes to Maria's side, gently pressing a hand on her shoulder.

"**She's right. Besides, if anything should happen, we are here to protect her."**

Za'taan doesn't respond right away and Maria sees his fingers tighten to the point that they started to shake along with the muscles in his arms. But then, she hears his breathing had slowed down and his hands open up in relaxation. It was only when he opened his eyes that Maria knew he had calmed down and hopefully is understanding.

He nods slowly. **"Alright. But if anything small thing would happen, we're busting in. Got it?"**

Maria had to hold in a giggle when he said that last part like a parent telling their child to behave. She wonders if he'll act like that when their pup arrives. She smiles and presses a hand onto his cheek, caressing it at the same time with her thumb.

"Got it."

She was glad when Za'taan smiled a little and pressed his hand over her own. For some reason, Maria glanced to the side and saw Du'rout's reaction to all of this. He didn't look too happy but didn't show any other emotions. It was blank throughout their interaction but she couldn't help but see him grip his hands into fists on either side of him, making her wonder what he was thinking. But she pushes it to the side when she remembers what needs to be done. She lets go of Za'taan and smiles once more before heading to the cell once more.

Maria moves to the door to the cells and looks over to Du'rout, nodding for approval. He nods back and starts saying something in Yautja language. All of a sudden, the door to Tane's cell opens, swinging wide until it stops. Maria takes a deep breath and steps forward, slowly taking each step as to not startle anyone in close vicinity who were already on edge. After getting inside, Maria walks forward until she stops in the middle of the cell. She sees Tane in the same fetal position as before but can tell she was weak. How can she be blamed for that? After everything she had been through, Maria felt pity for her. She clears her throat and calls out to her friend.

"Tane. Everything is alright. I need you to calm down so no one will get hurt."

She waits as Tane unravels herself from the fetal position, looking at her with wide, shocked eyes. Maria smiles and kneels down, hoping that equal height might help. "See? It's me, Tane. Maria."

She holds her hand out to her but didn't expect the next thing when Tane rushes to her, wrapping her arms around Maria's waist while crying into her chest. Maria could feel her shirt soaking from the tears, making her wonder how much torture her friend was put through.

"I'm sorry, Maria. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm . . . so . . . sorry."

Her voice started to crack and Maria felt Tane's body start to slump so she held onto her friend with all of her might. Out of comfort, she started to pat Tane's back gently while petting her head with the other as she let her friend weep. Eventually, Tane started to calm down but was having trouble breathing since Maria heard her sniffle through her nose but obviously plugged. They didn't move for quite a while until Maria pulls away but moves her hands on Tane's shoulders, lifting her up so her face was looking at her.

"What happened to you?"

"I . . ."

Maria heard Tane struggling to get her words out of her mouth. She thought it over and realized that this wasn't the time to ask questions. Her friend was distraught and she knew that she needed time to calm down. She shook her head to stop Tane.

"You know what? Right now, you need to get some rest. We can talk more about this later. Stay with me and I'll protect you."

Both stared at each other for several seconds before Tane takes a breath and nods shakingly. Maria smiles and grabs her hands, using her strength to lift each other on their feet. Without moving, Maria calls out to Du'rout who she knew was the only one authorized to give her request.

"Can you take the chains off of her? She's alright now."

Maria was expecting some sort of protest from Du'rout or Za'taan, mostly from the latter. Instead, she heard Du'rout speak in his native tongue and just like that, the chains on Tane click open, dropping to the ground with a thud. It startled Tane as she pressed herself closer to Maria, which she didn't mind at all. Right now, she was the only one she trusts.

Finally, her friend was freed and Maria takes her hand, pulling her along as they walked to the door of the cells. But when Maria was about to step forward, her body almost tumbles backward, feeling that Tane had frozen in her spot. Confused, Maria looks back and sees the fear in Tane's eyes that were looking ahead. Following her gaze, Maria realized that she was staring at Du'rout and Za'taan who were waiting on the other side, especially Za'taan who appeared to be ready to jump into action if anything went wrong. She glances back at her friend and smiles.

"It's alright. They won't hurt you."

She tugs lightly and Tane seemed to somewhat snap out of her trance of fear, looking back and forth between Maria, Du'rout, and Za'taan for a bit before stopping on Maria. After a few seconds, Tane relaxes enough for Maria to pull her forward once more, smiling as well.

It took several minutes until Maria and Tane emerged from the cell. When they stopped a few feet away, Tane moves to Maria's side and grips on her hand for comfort. Maria stands tall and she stares at Du'rout and Za'taan.

"See? She's only scared and confused. No harm has been done."

Although it was addressed to both of them, she wanted to make sure Za'taan heard her clearly. She keeps her stare on him, watching his every move until he sighs and then looks back to her with a small smile.

"**I swear Maria. You surprise me at every turn."**

She giggles. "You should already know that by now."

Za'taan responds with a chuckle. **"You're right."**

But their conversation was interrupted when Du'rout comes in between them. **"Back to at hand, what are we to do with your new friend?"**

She sees Du'rout looking at Tane but Maria didn't like how he was looking at her with anger and suspicion. It made Tane's emotional state worse and her friend gasped in horror, moving behind Maria for protection as Du'rout growls at her. Maria didn't like that and was about to say something until Za'taan beats her to it.

"**Stop it, Father. You know better than Maria's friend is not well. Reacting like that will only make things worse."**

At first, Maria could see Du'rout struggling to relent and she guessed that it was a Yautja thing. No warrior, especially of Du'rout's status, would back down when they are told by someone of lower rank. It's like hurting their pride and Yautjas take it very seriously. Maria prepared for the worst, which would be a fight between them. But instead, Du'rout grunts and turns around, walking away from the situation.

"**Do as you like. Make sure the ooman doesn't cause any trouble. I'll make sure the rest of the ship know."**

And with that, Du'rout was gone from their sight, leaving Za'taan, Maria, and Tane alone. With the tension of the room dissipating, Maria twists her body and faces Tane.

"You're safe now. As promised."

"What about him?"

Maria knew that Tane was talking about Za'taan and she'd forgotten that they haven't been introduced properly. Maria clears her throat and moves to Tane's side, holding her hand out in a welcoming gesture.

"Right. Tane . . . this is Za'taan. The one I told you about back at Weyland."

She remembers talking to Tane about her involvement with Za'taan and his brothers when the rumors about her started to spread. When they first met, Maria didn't trust Tane and would not say anything but after getting to know her, she began telling her friend about the rumors and in turn led to talking about Za'taan. She didn't say much about him but Maria was glad that Tane didn't push her any further. But now, she started to think that it would have been better to tell her more. The good thing is that when she mentioned Za'taan, Tane's eyes widened in surprise and she glances at him with awe. Maria smiles, feeling confident that their introduction would go smoothly. Za'taan bows his head to her and smiles.

"**It's nice to meet a friend of Maria's. Your name is Tane, correct?"**

Maria watches as Tane gaps her mouth wide open and pointed a shaky finger at him. "He . . . speaks . . . English?"

Tane looks back at Maria, making her almost giggle at Tane's reaction. "Of course. He understands us."

"But . . . how? Why . . .? And what . . .? But . . ."

Before Tane could say anymore, Maria shakes her shoulders and looks directly into her eyes. "I know this seems a lot for you. You need to rest for now. You can stay in Ana's old room and I'll get some food to eat. Okay?"

At first, she could see that Tane was hesitating a bit when she looked back at Za'taan but after a while, she looks back at her and nods. Maria smiles and grabs one of her hands into her own, glancing at Za'taan.

"Can you lead the way out?"

Za'taan bows his head. **"Of course."**

She watches him turn around and walk through the hallway with Maria and Tane following close behind. In some ways, Maria is glad to have another friend with her and that she's safe. However, a voice deep inside told her to be wary of this. She didn't want to think about it right now but there was a point. Tane suddenly pops out of nowhere and somehow is found by the Uhri clan, the same one that Maria is with.

She fears that something is going to happen soon and questions that Maria is holding inside will eventually . . . need some answers. And her fear is what those answers will be.

**Hi Readers!**

**My apologies for the sudden changes in posting new chapters on my current stories. It has been a rough road with taking care of my mother so I got a little time to write and such. But I made a vow that I would keep posting my stories until the end. It will become more busy with school and work increasing but I've decided to keep the schedule for posting chapters the same (Wednesdays for **_**Metamorphosis**_**; Saturdays for **_**Endurance**_**; Mondays for **_**Nexus**_**) but I'll be taking off a few days of writing this week to get myself in check and post a new chapter by next Wednesday (8/21) since my trip to Washington D.C. has been canceled. **

**Anyhow, for this chapter, Maria has been reunited with Tane and I can't help but be happy for her but I know that there are many questions to be answered. How did Tane make it here in the first place and somehow know that Maria was here? Does she have any connections that Maria is unaware of?**

**What is the voice trying to tell her? Of maybe warning her? **

**Find out when Chapter 17 comes two weeks (Saturday; 8/24)! **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E and Mariah for the reviews on **_**Nexus. **_**I do like your suggestions for the next chapter of **_**Metamorphosis**_** but it might have some twists to it as well. Might actually implement your suggestions into a mix of some sort. Who knows? :)**

**And for Anonymous-E, I liked the last song the most that you suggested for the **_**Respect **_**story. I actually listened to it several times on YouTube (cheap way to listen without pay lol) and it's good. **

**As for your suggestion on the BIGGEST SECRET on **_**Metamorphosis**_** and **_**Nexus**_**, it will be very difficult to do so since Nexus has a few more chapters to go and even more with Metamorphosis so I'm not sure how to honor that request since it might mess up the posting of chapters (as much as I want to . . .). But I can give a sneak preview that Metamorphosis will not go into a lot of detail on what really happened with Mia and Daugo. That will be in the Nexus story. Let me know what you think. **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))))**


	17. Chapter 17 (Questions)

Chapter 17: Questions

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Few days later . . .]

[Za'taan's POV]

After the arrival of Maria's friend, Za'taan would come over each day to make sure that Maria and Tane were settled in the empty room that previously belonged to Ana. But after a few days of not hearing anything about the 'recent' situation, Za'taan couldn't wait anymore. He had a mission of his own and that is to find out how Tane, of all people, found her way to the Uhri Clan that had Maria in their hands. He knew this couldn't be a coincidence so he decided to find answers of his own. Going through the hallways, Za'taan tries to speed up his pace but not look too obvious to everyone else that passes him or else word will cycle through the clan members and that would be another problem he didn't want to deal with. He had a mission of his own and he knew just the person to talk to about this.

After grumbling throughout the hall about how elaborate the ship's interior design with all the twists and turns, he made it to the higher level of the ship that contained only the front deck and a separate room that was only meant to house the Clan Leader or the next in command if absent. There was no doubt that his father would be there and Za'taan prepared to get answers . . . but they won't come easy. He had played that game for too long.

Without the courtesy of calling for anyone in the room and with access to it since he's the successor, Za'taan pushes the door aside and sees Du'rout conversing with Raith of all Yautjas. But it means that the matter they were talking about was serious to some unknown degree in which Za'taan had a hunch of what it was.

His loud announcement alerted Du'rout and Raith and both turn their heads towards Za'taan who came stomping over. Raith's expression showed a bit of a surprise but nothing else. However, Du'rout was irritated by Za'taan's entrance with his mandibles clicking furiously together and a growl erupting from his mouth.

"_Za'taan . . . It is disrespectful to barge into a Clan Leader's room without announcing yourself outside the door."_

Za'taan didn't bother to answer and went straight to his question as he took the few steps to reach both of them. _"What do you know about Tane's arrival?"_

Again, Du'rout growls. _"What are you talking about?"_

Without warning, Za'taan stomps his foot down hard when he stops in front of his father. _"Don't play cjit (shit) with me!"_

Before he could do anything else, he became aware of his rage going out of control so he focused his mind onto the one person that could . . . Maria. Her brown eyes filled with warmth and smile that only he had seen cooled his blood and it gave him the strength to keep his emotions in check. He closes his eyes for a few seconds and opens them back to his father.

"_You know something. The way you acted back in the holding cells wasn't like you or at least when you're calm and collected. There has been some new development . . . isn't there?"_

Za'taan grips his claws tightly into his palms and mentally tells himself to take deep breaths. He hates that he's the last to be informed of anything of serious nature and has to find out for himself instead of being informed. Still, he had to show restraint as a warrior and did so as he waited for his father to answer. He glances over to Raith to find anything showing from his face but it was like trying to squeeze water from a stone . . . useless.

But at last, he heard Du'rout sigh while rubbing the bridge between his eyes, showing clear exhaustion and frustration mixed.

"_There is. About how out scouts found your mate's companion, which we believed is no coincidence."_

"_No coincidence?"_

That is when Du'rout turns his face towards Raith and Za'taan's follows as well. Again, the wait was eating him but then he noticed something that he never expected. The first thing he noticed was a small twitch from Raith's lower mandible but kept doing it every few seconds. If Za'taan has learned anything from Mia and other occasions, it was a sign of nervousness and it made him confused as to why Raith was acting like that. Then, he looked at his eyes and felt that Raith wanted to say something but again, his gaze breaks away while closing his eyes. When Raith looks back at him, Za'taan couldn't see that feeling anymore in him. He somewhat expected it since years of their father's cruel treatment on him took a toll and rendered him almost emotionless.

Raith sighs. _"From what the scouts informed me, they went on a small hunt on a nearby planet when they saw a ship hiding behind some trees. They knew right away that it wasn't of Yautja design."_

Za'taan crosses his arms over his chest, glad to get some information. _"What kind of ship was it?"_

"_They weren't sure since the ship took off fast and vanished into thin air. But they did see a symbol on this that looked like an ooman letter shaped like this."_

Raith brings his arm and presses on his wrist gauntlet, turning on the hologram display that revealed a 'w' symbol on it. When Za'taan saw it, he knew all too well what it represented.

"_Weyland . . ."_

Raith nods. _"Yes. The same oomans that I took Maria, Ana, and Walter from in the first place. Persistent paukers (fuckers)."_

With that, Raith turns off the hologram from his wrist gauntlet, letting his arms fall to the sides while he looks back at Za'taan as he continues.

_"But the scouts looked everywhere after they left and right in the same spot the ship was on, they found the ooman female shaken in fear. Not knowing what else to do, they brought her to us in the hopes of finding out."_

After hearing that, Za'taan's mind started to get to work on putting the pieces together but it only created more questions than answers, particularly the connection to Du'rout's assumption that this wasn't a routine thing.

"_So what does this have to do with not being 'coincidence'?"_

He emphasized the last word, hoping that they would get the message. This time, Du'rout answered the question, making Za'taan grunt in annoyance and saw the same in his father. He could have just told him at the beginning instead of using his second in command like a puppet.

"_The ship is the same one that has been tracking us since the beginning. And we suspect that they dropped the ooman female on purpose, somehow knowing that our scouts would find her."_

Za'taan's mind goes into a frenzy when he heard about the ship is the same one following them. So they have something to do with it . . . but why are they doing this now? Sending one of their own like that?

He shakes his head a little. _"Okay. So what if they are following us? We can take care of them if they become a problem."_

Out of nowhere, Du'rout growls at Za'taan and showing as plain as day that he wasn't pleased with his response. _"That's just it. We've sent several Yautjas to stop them but every time we did, they were never heard from again and the ship continues to trail us."_

That got Za'taan's attention. Yautjas disappearing without a trace with no change in the oomans' direction? _"So you think they might be technologically advanced?"_

Du'rout nods as Za'taan looks in his direction. _"We believe so. But there's another problem."_

"_What problem?"_

His father leers at him all of a sudden, which made Za'taan feel a bit apprehensive about why he got that reaction. But one thing's for sure . . . he had a gut feeling that it wasn't good news.

_"We suspect that they have an informant hiding among us that are giving them a lead to follow. And we may know who it might be."_

Za'taan didn't like where this is going. He knows that Du'rout would never point the finger at another Yautja and it didn't seem plausible that it would be anyway if what the scouts said were true. So the only thing to focus on was anyone that was not Yautja . . . but ooman. Again, the anger was starting to build in his chest and worried that he might not be able to control it. The tightness of his arms started to hurt but he ignored it, making sure to pay attention to what his father was going to say next. But he was completely unprepared for what came next as Du'rout straightened himself.

"_We think your mate has something to do with this."_

When he heard Du'rout's words, it took everything in Za'taan not lunge right at him but he knew that it wouldn't be wise. Despite being related and a successor to the Uhri Clan, Du'rout was still the Clan Leader and if he did something to offend in any way, there would be no mercy for him. Plus, he had to think about what would happen to Maria if he did. They would condemn her . . . he can't let that happen . . . not when she's carrying his pup inside her. He closes his eyes to calm down somewhat but when he opened then again, the anger remained ever strong.

"_What does this have to do with Maria?"_

Du'rout did not hesitate to answer. _"Ever since she came on our ship, this 'trailing' from the oomans started."_

Za'taan growls. _"So? It could be anyone else and you have no proof."_

He saw Du'rout's mandibles twitch while his eyelids closed a bit to form slits. _"We've checked the other oomans. The one called Ana only has a chip but contains no signal. The male ooman . . . Walter . . . was already searched when he came on the ship. And the other female was bare of everything except for clothes. As for Maria, she wasn't searched because you took her before we could. She might be hiding something."_

"_Are you serious? Maria told me she was tortured by them and hates them. And even if your assumptions have some merit, what reason would she have to allow them to follow? You're only accusing her because she's my mate and carries my pup inside her!"_

Za'taan couldn't hold back his rage and roars at the last part of his sentence. He glares right into Du'rout's eyes and watched as his father mirrored him, also showing anger in his face. They stood in a standoff, waiting for one or the other to strike but before anything else happened, Raith jumps in between them.

"_Enough! Both of you!"_

He sees Raith holding his hands towards each one while looking back and forth to watch the guard. This took Za'taan by surprise as Raith has never gotten between a fight like this one unless it directly involved him, especially with their father involved. Normally, this behavior would never be tolerated since there was a rule that no Yautja would interfere in a fight but in a way, Raith prevented a disaster for which Za'taan was grateful for in some way. After a minute or two has passed, Za'taan relaxes and backs off but keeps his eyes on Du'rout as he also relaxes, brushing off something from his shoulders. Du'rout growls at Za'taan in warning one last time before stomping out of the room.

The tension inside faded quickly, letting Za'taan have a bit of a breather. However, recent words started to invade his mind about Maria being involved. There's no way she could be involved. This is only his father's attempt to separate Za'taan and Maria so he could focus on taking over the clan. He shook his head and lowers it down enough so he could rub it with his hand in an attempt to forget about it. But somehow . . . it doesn't little to alleviate them.

But then, he feels Raith inching closer to him until he stops right at his side, patting his shoulder gently.

"_My apologies. Du'rout has been stressed out due to all that has recently happened."_

Za'taan sighs. _"I know . . . But I know his ulterior motives. He only tolerates Maria because she's with me and pregnant with the future member of the Uhri Clan."_

He hears Raith grunt silently. _"I know . . . But he does make a point."_

Without warning, Za'taan tears away from Raith's grip but puts his face only inches from Raith's while snarling. _"You too? I should have expected it from his second-in-command since you follow his shadow all the time."_

Za'taan watched for a reaction from Raith but again . . . nothing. Instead, he sighs, shaking his head in disbelief like he didn't want to be bothered by this and only made Za'taan even angrier. It seems like everyone was ticking him off today.

"_Look. Due to lack of evidence, Maria does seem like a likely suspect but that doesn't mean I believe she is."_

Za'taan lifts his head and opens his eyes a bit in confusion. _"What do you mean?"_

Raith shrugs his shoulders up. _"In the little time I've known her, Maria doesn't seem like the type of person who would do something like that. And even if she was, it must be for a reason. From what Ana has told me, she would do anything for those close to her. Plus . . . the chip in Ana's head is there for a reason and I could see the pain in Maria's eyes when the attack happened."_

It became silent for a minute when Raith stopped talking. Za'taan repeated the words over and over again and Raith did have a point. After all, he did see first hand that Maria would do anything to protect all those whom she loved, including himself. He remembers when she dragged him through the forest of the ooman world, making sure to take care of his wounds and hunt for food to keep up his strength. Raith did have a point . . . Maria must have a reason if it is her. He sighs, letting the remainder of his anger fade into dust.

_"You're right. Maria has proven to everyone that she's kind-hearted and would sacrifice anything to protect."_

Za'taan looks straight into Raith's eyes, showing that he was serious. _"For now, find more information on this . . . and don't tell Maria or anyone else."_

He saw the look of confusion and disbelief shine on Raith's face as his mandibles tightened together towards his inner mouth. _"Why?"_

"_Because right now, Maria needs to focus on keeping her strength for the pup. I don't want to stress her out anymore than she should."_

With that, Za'taan turns around and heads for the door.

"_Where are you going?"_

Raith calls from behind but Za'taan continues to walk, not slowing down his pace. _"I'm going to check on Maria. She hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days."_

But as he was only a few inches from the door, Za'taan stops in his tracks. He couldn't help but feel he needed to say something to Raith. He turns his head to the side enough to get a glimpse of Raith watching him. He clears his throat and lets the words flow out of his mouth.

"_I trust her . . . I love her . . . and she's the strongest being that I've ever met."_

Za'taan turns his head around and takes a step towards the door, leaning his hand on the metal frame of it.

"_You've changed."_

He heard Raith call out from behind but he doesn't turn back to look at him. His voice told all and Za'taan can sense that there was nothing malicious in Raith's words. Rather, it was like he was somewhat praising him. With that, a small smile crept onto his inner mouth and mandibles as he walks out of the room, heading to see if Maria was okay.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

All the while, Maria has been helping Tane settle into this new world surrounded by Yautjas. It was a difficult process for everyone but mostly Tane and Maria could see it in the beginning. The first day, Tane would jump at every sound emitting from the metal walls and when a Yautja comes in to either give food or check on them, Maria's friend would yelp and run to hide behind the massive bed. At one point, it took a matter of hours for Maria to coax her out of hiding. It would have been longer if not for Ana and Walter's help. With their company and gentle words along with introducing themselves as Maria's friends, Tane had become more relaxed in everything around them. Once Maria knew she was in a better state, it was a good time to inform her of everything that has happened . . . including her relationship with Za'taan and her pregnancy.

After telling everything, Maria watched and waited for Tane to speak while they sat on the bed in Tane's room with Ana right next to her and Walter sitting on a chair across the room. But all she did was show confusion and surprise like she was stung out of nowhere.

"Tane?"

Maria calls but no response from her friend and she feared that she might have mentally broken her. Ana crawls towards Tane slowly and pats her shoulder. "Tane. Are you alright?"

Again . . . nothing until Tane gapped her mouth opened slightly and closed it back up, blinking her eyes in the process. Another minute passed before she finally spoke.

"I . . . this is . . . a lot to take in."

Maria smiles, hopeful that Tane is finally responding to them. "Yes, it is."

She watched Tane's body relax a bit as she shifts on the bed to cross her legs together while fiddling her fingers together. "How do you handle all of this? I mean . . . being with one of these aliens and impregnated by one. Za'taan . . . right?"

Maria nods. "That's right. He was the first one introduced to me three years ago before I was captured by Weyland."

"And you're alright with all of this? How did you deal with it?"

That question was tough for Maria to give a direct and clear answer. So many events led to her being accepting of the Yautjas, Za'taan and the Uhri Clan and it wasn't easy. Maria sighs deeply while closing her eyes, remembering everything that happened and people who were gone. Her emotions almost got the better of her when she recalled the good times with Ya'stu and I'stih. It was the first time she saw Yautjas as not just killers but beings with different personalities. Ya'stu was one such being that she didn't expect but made her laugh. Oh . . . how she missed his quirky remarks. But all of a sudden and for no reason, her mind wanders into another memory that wasn't so pleasant. It was when she was brought to Weyland and saw those two huge figures that she felt like she knew them. Why was she thinking about this now?

"Maria."

She snapped out of her daze when she heard Ana call for her. She blinks a few times and turns to the side to see Ana looking at her with worry. She looks to Tane and she also had the same expression. Maria shook her head, getting rid of those thoughts and smiling back so her friends wouldn't worry.

"I'm okay. Just lost in thought."

Maria decided to divert the topic to another one that was far more important and needed answers but she had to tread carefully since it involved Tane who wasn't completely stable at the moment. Nevertheless, Maria turns to Tane and stares deeply into her eyes and was about to ask when Walter beat her to the punch, ending his silence throughout the entire conversation.

"Tane. I know you're still getting used to everything but I want to ask about how you were brought here? How did you survive the explosion at the facility?"

As soon as Walter said that, Maria saw Tane's face flush and go pale while her eyes widened in fear. Maria knew it wasn't good news when she saw her friend's reaction and she couldn't blame her. Seeing Weyland's cruel treatment firsthand, it wasn't a complete surprise. Walter was about to say something else and Maria can see in his eyes that he was eager for more but worried for Tane's mental status, she raised her hand to stop him in which he did. He looked a bit surprised but nodded his head, seeing that Maria wanted to ease into the questions. When she stopped him, Maria turns back to Tane.

"Tane. We just want to know what happened to you. Take your time."

Maria smiles to reassure her friend that everything was going to be alright. She sees Tane glance at Ana and she smiled as well. That's when Maria saw some color come back to her friend's face and it reassured her that she was relaxing again. After some time, Tane sighs and starts speaking.

"All I know is that when the attack happened, soldiers came and took all the prisoners through a tunnel that went underground. I barely got into the tunnel when a bright, blue light enveloped the end of it. Everything went so fast and the next thing I knew, we were trapped in the tunnel and it took forever to get out of there, forcing the prisoners to pick up rocks and then bodies when we opened the tunnel. It was . . . awful."

Tane lowers her head and presses her hand on her mouth to stifle her sobs. Maria's heart began to sink in horror from what Tane had explained. Does Weyland know no bounds? Her hands started to tremble from the anger that started to grow inside her but kept it to a minimum so she wouldn't scare Tane. She takes slow breaths and lets it out with a deep sigh, looking back at Tane who was still trying to control her emotions but kept going nonetheless.

"And after that . . . I was separated and then interrogated. They wanted me to tell them about you and . . . other things. But . . . I didn't know. And then, the soldiers took me somewhere blindfolded so I had no idea what was happening. When I was finally able to see, I was surrounded by these 'Yautjas' you call them, pointing their spears at me. It was then that I knew the soldiers abandoned me when I saw the ship take off."

All of a sudden, Tane stops abruptly and her emotions flood out of her like a dam that has released a tsunami. Maria watches as her friend throws her head down onto the bed as she sobs her heart out. It rocked Maria's heart to the core and it felt like it broke into a million pieces but also brought the anger back tenfold. After letting Tane cry for a few moments, Maria reaches over and presses her hand on her shoulder, which Tane lifted her head fast and looked into Maria's eyes while her tears ran over her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Tane."

Maria moves her hand to hold one of Tane's shoulders and Ana does the same thing, placing her hand on the other one as she spoke. Maria smiles at Ana as she does the same and looks back at Tane "We understand. But you're safe now and we'll make sure you're taking care of. I promise."

With that, Maria looks deeply into Tane's eyes to show that she meant it. After a few seconds, Tane started to relax as she rubbed off the dried tears on her face while sniffling a bit.

"Thank . . . you."

Tane nods and Maria felt confident that her friend was alright and she couldn't help but smile sincerely. But out of nowhere, Maria lets out a yawn that lasts much longer than before. She couldn't explain but she felt tired all the time. Ana comes to the side and wraps one of her arms around her.

"Feeling tired again?"

Maria nods. "Yeah. I'm not sure why because I slept like an elephant for the last few days. Not only that but I feel more hungry than ever before and my stomach feels like an endless pit that can't be filled."

"It could be your pregnancy. It's normal."

Walter comes walking over to stand on the other side of Maria. Her neck twists so she could look up at him. "True but what's unusual is that I had to change clothes three times this week due to my belly. It's like . . . it's getting bigger."

As she said this, Maria moves her hands over her lower stomach and noticed that it was getting bigger each day . . . to the point that she felt a kick from the inside. It was a happy feeling that the baby was doing well but she shouldn't be feeling this for another two months. She waited as Walter showed curiosity and worry on his face until he answered back when his eyes widened a bit in somewhat surprise or at least that is what Maria thought.

"I think that I know the reason for it."

"Really?"

He nods. "But we'll have to go to the healers to confirm my suspicion. Are you alright with that?"

At first, Maria became concerned that it might be something serious with her unborn child but after seeing Walter looking calm, it helped ease her worry even if a little bit. She gives her answer with a nod.

"Yes."

Walter smiles. "Alright. Ana . . . Can you stay with Tane while we take care of this?"

"Of course."

As soon as they got the approval, Walter helps Maria up from the bed and both start walking out of the room to head towards the healers, hoping to find out what is going on with her and the baby.

**Hi Readers!**

**This chapter became very difficult as well. Starting to get writer's block with this story and it's been hard to keep up with it. But I vowed to finish this story as I promised to all of you along with keeping up my personal goal. With school starting and this whole Washington D.C. trip going crazy with my family away, I'm debating on focusing solely on**_** Endurance**_** since this story only has about six chapters left so I can use the rest of my energy in writing**_** Nexus**_** and**_** Metamorphosis**_**. But I want to make sure all of you are alright with putting my other two stories on hiatus for some time. It might only be a little bit since I can work on **_**Endurance**_** more. **

**Let me know if all of you are alright with that. **

**Anyway, as for this chapter, it looks like Du'rout is pointing the fingers at Maria and it's not looking good for her. If they do find out that she is the sole connection to all of their problems, then Maria is not safe. Luckily, Za'taan has much faith in her and it's good to see that Raith believes in her as well. Speaking of Raith, the next chapter will focus on his past and how difficult it must have been for him and even might let the truth about Du'rout's plan out in the open. But of course, the question about Maria's pregnancy might reveal some things as well. Who knows? **

**Find out when Chapter 18 comes next week (might be earlier if plans for posting stories changes)! Again, my apologies for the sudden changes over this month and I hope everyone understands. :(**

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Mariah, and NeverNeverLady for the reviews on **_**Metamorphosis. **_

**You're right about it, NeverNeverLady. There's a lot more to come along with many secrets to reveal. As for my family emergency, everything is alright now. My mother had to go to the doctor due to being diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) and has been in major pain ever since but she's alright now. Thank you and I hope your family emergency is taken care of as well. :)**

**And for Anonymous-E, I hope that I get the name right so I'm going with my safe bet and believe that Ethan is the one. If not, then I'm completely stupid lol. For the **_**Respect**_** story, is the family members all alive or have passed away some time before the story's events? Plus, is there a chance that the Soldier might be able to see him again? Thinking about the ending of the story for a bit and wondered about it. Let me know if you have any more details to add. :)**

**And for Mariah, Yi'stbah might try to pull something to piss her off just because of what she is and this declaration from An'tar might fuel his anger even more. But as one of the Council, he will do it subtly and Anya will see right through it. And I'dor does suggest that he wants Anya to succeed him. After all, he's very clever and will make sure that the future is secure before he passes away. **

**Lots of secrets . . . lots of chapters to explain the juicy details ;) **

**Thank you and enjoy! :))))) **


	18. Chapter 18 (Painful Troubles)

Chapter 18: Painful Troubles

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

**WARNING: Rated MA for intense and graphic sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised. Read at your own risk!**

Once they got to the back room of the healers, Walter placed Maria on the table while he spoke to one of the healers for something. It surprised Maria that he understood the Yautja language but she remembered that he was a synthetic so nothing is 'normal' about him. She waited as the healer brought some massive machinery that stood on a rolling table. Once it was in, the healer made a quick exit, growling in frustration or annoyance. Maria rolled her eyes since some of the Yautjas haven't gotten used to them walking around. After being left alone, Maria watched as Walter started the machine and her curiosity got the better of her.

"What is that?"

"It's like a Yautja version of ultrasound. When we found out you're pregnant, I've been working on this machine so I can track your pregnancy and make sure you're doing okay."

"Okay but . . . why are we doing this now? I'm only a month along so we might not be able to see the baby now."

She heard Walter sigh as he stopped playing with the machine and looked over to Maria. "I know . . . but your pregnancy is not normal. I have a suspicion that you might be further along than we might think."

"What?"

Maria couldn't comprehend what Walter was suggesting. How far along was she? Her curiosity and concern grew but she waited patiently as Walter took some small device hooked on the machine and started putting some sort of clear cream on the blunt tip of it. He moves to the edge of Maria's table and asks her to lift her clothes from her belly. Maria complies and Walter was about to put the device on her belly when the door to the room slams open. It started Maria and Walter as they looked to see Za'taan stomping towards them. Maria can tell he was concerned as his red eyes lit up while his mandibles twitched. She was about to ask why he was coming in strong until he spoke first as calmly as possible.

"**What's going on here? I went to the room you were in and Ana told me you were going to the healers. Are you alright?"**

Without letting another minute passed, Za'taan rushed to Maria's side while letting out a small growl at Walter but only out being protective over Maria. He puts his hands over hers and purrs in reassurance. Maria smiled and caressed his cheek so he would calm down.

"Everything's alright. I haven't been feeling right so Walter is checking on me. Nothing to be concerned."

**"But why is he using that machine?"**

Za'taan points to the machine and then looks at Walter, leering for some answers. Maria can see that Walter looked a bit concerned so she pulled his face towards her once more.

"He thinks that my pregnancy might be farther than expected. We're just doing a checkup."

At first, she can see that Za'taan was unsure about all of this but after a few moments of him looking between Walter and herself, he lets out a sigh and his shoulders slump down in relaxation as he looks deeply into Maria's eyes and nods.

"**Alright. But I'm staying here."**

With that, Maria smiles and nods in approval. She looks over to Walter and gives him a look that it was alright to go ahead. Walter moves the device closer to her stomach until he presses the end a bit hard on her stomach. It took a bit of strength for Maria to not yelp from the uncomfortable pressure so she focused on Za'taan who purred to keep her calm.

After a minute or so, she watches Walter turn on the machine and a screen pops up, revealing a blurry picture of her womb. But what caught her by surprise was the image of a huge white mass sitting on the side. Maria wasn't an expert on ultrasounds but had seen enough to know that this wasn't what is supposed to be seen. At only a month of pregnancy, the baby should be only a small dot but instead, she could see arms and legs moving back and forth in her womb. How can this be possible?

She looks over to Za'taan and saw wonder in his eyes as he looked at the screen, seeing his pup alive and doing well. But as she turned to look at Walter, she became quite disturbed. His eyes showed fascination from seeing this but it wasn't like a good one to Maria for some reason. It gave her the chills just observing such behavior. Having enough of it, Maria decides to snap him out of it but calling for him.

"What is it?"

That got Walter out of his moment as he shakes his head a little, looking back at Maria. "My apologies. I didn't expect your pregnancy to be this far along."

"What do you mean?"

Walter looks to the screen, pauses it and points his fingers around the small blip form in the middle. "According to the machine, the baby is already at the size it would be at twenty weeks old. You're only about one month into your pregnancy."

"**Meaning what exactly?"**

Za'taan sturdily spoke to Walter, sounding more frustrated than curious. Walter coughed a little and directed his attention towards Maria. She heard Za'taan growl a little that he was completely ignored but it didn't bother Walter as he spoke to her.

"It means that your pregnancy is accelerated. It shouldn't be surprising given that this isn't . . . exactly normal but I didn't know it would be this fast."

The gears in Maria's mind we're starting to turn, popping up questions so fast that she couldn't answer them all or rather didn't have any, to begin with. That fast? How can it be? Is it safe? Will it affect the baby? How can she prepare? What will this do to herself?

"**Maria."**

She snaps out of her thoughts when Za'taan gently shook her shoulders. She blinks and looks back to him, noticing how concerned he looked. She smiles. "I'm okay, Za'taan."

He didn't say much but leaned down, pressing the bottom of his chin on top of her head and letting out a soft purr. It was strange to Maria that he would suddenly do that but it was the comfort she needed to ease her mind. She closes her eyes and presses harder into him, feeling a great warmth grow in her chest. It was brief as they pulled apart when they heard Walter cough to grab their attention. She sighs and looks back to him.

"Sorry, Walter."

He smiles. "That's alright." As soon as Walter sighs, the smile disappears as he went back into focus. "So the concern is that hour body might not be able to keep up with this sudden change since humans are pregnant for nine months but you might reach the end within approximately another two months."

"**So what does that mean?"**

Za'taan shifts a bit towards Walter but keeps his hold on Maria as he leers right at him. Worried, Maria tugged on his arm and he brings his face back to her. She shakes her head to each side and calmly pulls him back. She was glad that he didn't resist as he came back to her but felt concerned that his anger was going to get worse. Za'taan wasn't exactly the most patient creature and it was amplified since it involved her and their unborn pup. Walter, unfazed by the scene, moves the device a little bit around while still giving them information.

"I tested your blood and found that as this progresses, your body will get weaker due to trying to compensate for the growth of the baby. I fear what might happen when you're ready to deliver."

The words started to somewhat sink into Maria's mind about the dangers of this pregnancy. A whole bunch of emotions was swirling through her, making it difficult to sort it out so it wasn't too obvious to everyone around her that she wasn't in a great place. She takes a couple of quiet breaths, keeping her focus on the small screen showing her baby moving inside her. She felt Za'taan's hand rub her shoulder and her focus goes back to him. He looked fine to the untrained eye but Maria could see the subtle twitches. His lower left mandible twitched once in a while and his unoccupied hand kept flexing itself as if trying to keep his emotions in check. Maria decided to keep the conversation going to ease the tension but also to find out more information.

"So . . . if that's the case, what can we do from this point on?"

She waited as Walter nodded, placing the device that was in her belly on the side and then turned around near a table of some sort, scrambling in a drawer he pulled out and taking some small object out of it. She couldn't see what it was since Walter's body blocker her view but as he turned back to them, her eyes widened a bit as she saw a small syringe filled with some sort of liquid that reminded her of a broth found in soup.

"What is that?"

Walter came closer as he started to take the cap off of the syringe. "I did some research and made this. It's an energy boost that will help your body keep up with the change. Just a prick on your arm and—"

But just as Walter was about to grab her arm,

Za'taan growls while placing himself between them, acting as a shield to protect her. Maria gasps a bit when Za'taan grabs Walter's throat, lifting him high enough that his legs were dangling in the air.

"**Don't. Even. Dare."**

Maria saw his grip getting tighter and noticed Walter struggling to speak. She calls out to him in desperation.

"Za'taan! Please!"

She was glad that Za'taan turned his head around. His expression slowly changed from anger to worry, no doubt that Maria believed he saw how scared she was. In some way, she knew that Za'taan was trying to protect her but he was going way overboard. After what seemed like forever, Za'taan lets him go and Walter stumbles when his feet hit the ground. Maria watches as he stood still for a moment before returning to Maria. She reaches for him and his hand does the same as he kneels. Good thing he was taller than many Yautjas so the table stopped at his torso. She rubs his hand and tilts her head a bit.

"It's alright. Please . . . calm down. He won't harm me."

Maria didn't know exactly what to say to make him feel better but she tried anyway. In response, Za'taan lets out a small purr, making Maria feel a little at ease.

"**I'm sorry, Maria. Forgive me."**

She smiles. "It's alright. If you can't trust him, then trust me."

Both of them stared at each other for quite some time until she saw Za'taan close his eyes slowly before opening again, letting his mandibles slack until they turn to make a small smile on his face.

"**I do."**

With that, Maria smiles and pats his hand softly before directing her attention back to Walter who stood as still as a statue. She nodded. "Walter."

He responded with a nod. He approaches again but more cautiously, keeping an eye on Za'taan in case he tries something once more. After getting to Maria's side in one piece, he straightens her arm out and positions the syringe until the tip is in the correct place before plunging it inside her. It stung and she could feel the cold sensation crawl underneath her skin but held it in for Za'taan's sake. It only lasted a few seconds before Walter was finished, slowly pulling the syringe out and placing it back on the table.

"All done. That should last for at least a week but I recommend eating as much as you could. Especially lots of protein and carbs to keep your strength. You can cover yourself back now."

Maria nodded and moved into a sitting position on the table, pulling her clothing back over her belly. For an instant, she rubbed her hand over her stomach and can almost feel her baby moving inside her. It brought joy but the things that she just heard overclouded that wonderful feeling. But the strange thing is . . . she wasn't so much worried about her body and health but rather the well-being of her baby. She wanted to make sure it was alright and all of this was making her feel uncertain about the future.

"I know this seems a lot. But at least we have some good news."

Maria's eyes widened in surprise when Walter spoke. "Really?"

Walter smiles softly to her. "Yes. Despite everything, the baby seems to be in great condition and growing well. Also, at this stage of development, I was able to determine the sex of the fetus. Do you want to know?"

"Yes."

Maria answered right away before she could even think about it. She glances to Za'taan and she could tell he wanted to know just as badly as herself. He gave a small smile and looked to Walter to which she followed as well. They waited as Walter cleaned up the area, putting the machine back together along with getting the small device washed up as well. It was a bit longer than Maria wanted as she was losing her patience but then he speaks.

"So from the images I saw, it looks like it is . . ."

Walter suddenly stopped and Maria could see him starting to smile mischievously. She had a hunch that he was delaying on purpose to torture her as a joke. It did the trick on her feeble mind as she yells out funnily.

"Hurry up, will ya?!"

Walter chuckles, placing his hands in the air to show his surrender. "Okay. Okay. I just want to have some fun. Give you something to laugh at later."

"**But we want to know."**

Maria can tell that Za'taan didn't take the joke well, sounding a bit angry in his words. Za'taan wasn't one to joke around in the first place and with all this craziness happening to her, he wasn't in the best of moods. At least he didn't try to go after Walter but Maria can see the struggle in his face to contain it, holding his mandibles together so tightly. Walter coughed in awkwardness and decided to tell them.

"So the baby . . . It's a male."

Right at the moment, Maria gasped in wonder when she found out about the gender of the baby. A boy? Really? Although Maria didn't care about if the baby is either a male or a female, it was the first time in her family's history that anyone had a boy. It was always females born into her family and rarely would there be a male heir so it was a bit of a shock to learn she was carrying such a treasure. She couldn't help but smile for at least the baby was safe and well. Maria looked up to Za'taan and smiled, receiving the same look from him as well.

"So . . . What I would do for now is to get some rest. Recover some energy and then eat and drink as much as you can."

Maria smiles at him. "Thank you for your help."

Walter smiles in return. "You are most welcome. After all, I only want what's best for everyone."

With that, Maria and Za'taan exited the healers and made their way towards their room. But all the whole, Maria can feel something unnerving in the air between them. She glanced up at him and saw how concentrated his sight is towards in front of him. With a bit of courage, she pulls herself closer to his side and wraps her fingers through his own.

"Everything alright, Za'taan?"

He turned his face towards her and blinks his red eyes a couple of times, looking rather a bit confused. **"Everything's fine. Why do you ask?"**

"Well . . . You seem rather distracted by something. I couldn't help but notice and wanted to make sure you're okay."

She heard him purr and caress her cheek with his hand, softly rubbing back and forth and it calmed Maria's doubts in a mere few seconds.

"**Don't worry about me. Right now, my priority is to ensure that you and our son are taking care of."**

He lets go of her cheek and keeps walking through the hallway with Maria by his side. Right as she was enjoying this time, Za'taan's voice interrupted the silence.

"**I do want to ask you something."**

Maria hummed. "What is it?"

She looked back up to him but he didn't. Still, she waited to hear what he had to say for a few seconds before he took a deep breath and barely turned his eyes to her.

"**Is there anything you have to tell me?"**

That stunned Maria's mind after she heard those words play in her mind. She tried to wonder why he would ask such a question out of nowhere. But then, Weyland's words echoed out of the blue but she felt that there was a reason behind it.

_And don't tell anyone about this. Not even that lover of yours And if you think we can't see what you're doing, well . . . I'll make sure you get the message._

The eerie sound of Weyland's voice sends chills down her spine. It was so intense that it took everything in her to not run out of here and hide from Za'taan and everyone else. She can't tell him or else Ana will die because of her actions, despite wanting so much to tell Za'taan about everything. Instead, she sighs and gave a fake smile to him.

"Nothing that I can think of."

She waited for Za'taan to reply while keeping a close eye on even the slightest change in his facial features that would indicate he seemed disturbed. But instead, Za'taan shakes his head a little, closes his eyes and opens them back with a small smile on his face.

"**Okay then. Let's get back to the room."**

With that, Za'taan and Maria walked back to the room but the question Za'taan asked was still swirling in Maria's head and she couldn't help but think that it had to do with everything that she was hiding from him. All he could do was let time decided and hope for the best.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Raith's POV]

Raith laid all over the bed with only fur blankets covering his naked body. He kept his eyes up to the ceiling, studying it for some reason or another but it felt good to focus on other things than what he was aggravated about.

"Raith? Are you alright?"

He turned his head to the side when he felt Ana crawl over to his side, resting her head in the middle of his chest. He could feel her exposed breasts rubbing against him and it jolted his cock once more. They had already mated several times this day alone but it surprised him how much energy Ana had in her petite body. So much different than anything he has ever felt before. He wrapped one hand around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"**Wondering . . ."**

"Wondering? About what?"

Raith didn't know exactly how to say this to Ana but not because of the language barrier that was still being worked on between them. It was more of everything going on with Maria and the pup she carries. Every time he meets with Du'rout, it was always finding new ways to get her away from this place. One minute it was telling her that Za'taan might be in danger from others that would use Maria as a tool against him. But the next, it was that Maria needed to find somewhere safe to have the pup and to raise it without outside threats. All of these excuses were merely a coverup for his father's plan to make sure Za'taan would take over as Clan Leader when the time came. For Raith, it was starting to take a toll on his conscious. From the moment he met Maria till now, he got to know her better . . . even if a little bit and realized that she would do anything to help Za'taan. Pure manipulation that can be exploited by his father. Raith didn't want that and it would hurt Maria and in turn, would affect Ana since they were the best of friends according to what he's figured out. He growled a little and looked back up to the ceiling.

"Raith?"

Again, Ana calls and Raith needed to answer or else she would pucker the life out of him, which can get quite annoying sometimes. He looks back to her, staring right into her eyes for focus.

"**Wondering . . . about Maria . . . and Za'taan."**

He saw Ana's expression change to confusion in a split second. "What about Maria and Za'taan?"

Again, Raith tried to find the right words to say but it was difficult to even come up with a simple answer in his language, let alone translate it into ooman with the limited dictionary in hand. But . . . it was something else . . . something more.

"**Worried . . . things might . . . happen . . . soon."**

He wasn't lying about that but he couldn't get into details about the plans that Du'rout had in mind. He recalls the last meeting with him that still struck a nerve within himself.

[Few hours ago . . .]

"_What do you mean we have to do this?"_

_Du'rout grunts in annoyance. "You already know my reason. We must do this for the sake of our clan."_

"_Our clan? Hasn't Maria been through enough since she's got here? Ever since then, you been scheming to get rid of her but made it seem like you care for her."_

_This time, Du'rout growls viciously towards him, making Raith have no choice but to submit. He lowers his head down and kneels to the ground, showing that he doesn't want to challenge his father's authority or else it would mean certain death. He refused to look at Du'rout but he curses himself for acting like this again. Not able to have a word in this but what choice does he have? If he went against him, all the secrets would be out and then it would make the situation much worse than it already is. So all Raith could do was obey and listen to Du'rout's plan. _

"_So this is how we will do it. From what the healers have told me, Maria should have the pup within another two or three months but before she does, we need to move her to an isolated planet that doesn't have any dangerous prey on it and let her and the oomans settle there."_

"_But what about Za'taan? He won't exactly let her go just like that."_

_He heard Du'rout grunt above him and walk away a bit from himself. "Not unless she decides on her own free will."_

_Raith's attention jumped up immediately, trying to understand what his father was trying to say. Will Maria go of her own free will? With the pup she carries, it seemed nearly impossible. Maria wouldn't just leave Za'taan like that . . . after everything they had been through. Raith wanted to say more but Du'rout beat him to it. _

_"I've already talked to her about the dangers that would come if she stayed. I studied her long enough to know she will do anything to protect those that are dear to her. If she realizes the consequences of staying among us, she will have no choice. Especially when I tell her about the allegations towards her . . . that she is willingly provided the oomans with a trail to follow us."_

_It was silent for a few moments until Raith heard Du'rout sigh in frustration, clearly distressed about something else from Raith's past experiences with him. But the question is what was bothering him so much but Raith didn't think he was going to get the answer so quickly like this when Du'rout spoke again._

_"Besides, I need Za'taan to be battle-ready when the oomans get closer to us."_

_This time, Raith lifted his head to look into his father's eyes. "What do you mean?"_

"_Some of my scouts believe that the oomans are getting prepared to attack us in earnest. Looks like they had enough waiting around but they won't succeed. They're mere oomans and would needed centuries to even be on equal ground to us."_

"_But what has this to do with me? I know you wouldn't tell anyone about this unless you need them."_

_Raith wished he didn't say such words because as soon as he finished, Du'rout slowly turned his head towards him and smirked, sending shivers down his spine. Rarely would that happen to him and only when it was very serious. _

"_You're correct. I need you to convince Za'taan that Maria isn't worth it if all else fails." _

"_How?"_

"_By telling him about Maria. That she's the reason why the oomans are following us and deliberately helping the ones that imprisoned her in the first place. He doesn't know what happened back on the ooman planet so it might work."_

_Raith couldn't believe what he was hearing from his father. Playing this mind game between Za'taan and Maria and making them think that the other is lying and such. A bitter taste started to grow in the back of his mouth that made him almost want to gag, fueling the anger that was also starting up. He tried with all his might to contain it while he asked for more information. _

"_Really? And what evidence do you have that could convince Za'taan to believe all of this nonsense?"_

_Du'rout grunts. "We found this in her possessions."_

_Right as he said that, Raith saw his father reach into his belt and pull out a small device that was small enough for an ooman to carry. It looked like some sort of communicator of some kind but it wasn't Yautja technology. Sure enough, Du'rout flips the device around and a big logo was displayed boldly that had a w and v shape put together. He remembers that symbol all too well. _

"_Weyland-Yutani . . ."_

_Du'rout nods. "Exactly. The same symbol found on the ship that dropped that 'Tane' female off for us to find. Can't be a coincidence."_

_Raith didn't know what to say but tried to think of something. "Maybe . . . she didn't know about it?"_

_He saw Du'rout shake his head while clicking his mandibles together. "She didn't tell us about this device and it was always in her possession when she moved around the ship. We weren't able to decode it but it's been giving out the same signal we've detected a while before. There's no mistake."_

_Right then and there, Raith had no idea what to do or even what to believe. He couldn't believe everything that his father was saying but at the same time, he didn't have any information that would deem it false. Raith shook his head to the side, trying to make sense of everything. His mandibles opened and closed so fast along with his inner mouth until he stopped altogether. His mind was in such disarray that he didn't even notice Du'rout had come to his side and gripped his shoulder. _

"_When the time comes, you must do this."_

_Du'rout leans closer to Raith until his face was inches away from the side of his cheek. "And if you think about going against me, I'll make sure everyone knows what happen when your mother turned our backs on us . . . and how you were there. And Ana will pay for it if I have to go to that point. Even if you're my son."_

_Before Raith could react, Du'rout had let go and disappeared, leaving him all alone to absorb everything. _

[Back to Present]

Raith had to rub the bridge between his eyes to soothe the headache that was coming on. There was so much he wanted to tell Ana about but the threat that Du'rout had given him kept popping up in his mind, reminding him not to try anything foolish. He knew this is wrong . . . but going against his father would bring Hell upon him and everyone around him . . . including Ana.

"Raith?"

Her sweet voice echoed in him and made him turn his eyes back to her brown ones that were filled with worry. She moves over his body and closer to his face, leaning her chin on his chest.

"Something's bothering you . . . Can you tell me? I'm worried."

Raith stutters for a moment, trying his best to think of something to say. **"I . . . can't."**

"Why not?"

Again, Raith stutters once more and the only sound coming from him were clicks. The urge to keep his father's plans a secret was becoming unbearable but he feared the consequences.

"Is it because of your father?"

His clicking stops immediately and his eyes widened in shock as Ana gave him a serious look like he caught him doing something bad. She was way too clever for him and Raith had to remind himself of that every day. Knowing he got caught, Raith nodded his head and Ana sighs.

"I figured as much."

Raith looked at her with confusion. **"What . . .?"**

"I've noticed that every time you meet with Du'rout, you always come back like you were beaten into submission. Like you're afraid of going against him. Why?"

Raith sighs. **"Been . . . like that . . . since . . ."**

He stopped there when he realized he was about to delve into his past . . . that past. But it was the truth. Ever since what happened with his mother and the Maigu clan, he had been afraid of his father's shadow and making sure to obey his commands regardless of how atrocious it was. But now . . . he was starting to question it. The confusion mixed with anger was becoming too much to bear and out of nowhere, he lets out a small growl that was not enough to be loud but still can be heard within an earshot. But then, he becomes stunned when Ana brought her hand to caress his cheek, soothing his emotions even if a little bit. She didn't say anything but her eyes conveyed understanding and it was enough for him to continue.

"**Since . . . my mother was killed."**

He heard a small gasp from Ana but she remained vigilant, making sure to listen to his story as he kept going.

"**Can't . . . remember . . . much but . . . saw my mother . . . killed by the Maigu Clan."**

"Maigu Clan? Za'taan's mother?"

Raith nodded. **"Yes . . . She brought me . . . somewhere I . . . didn't recognize. She said . . . is to meet . . . someone . . . who can help us? She wanted to . . . make sure . . . I had a secure . . . place in . . . the Uhri Clan."**

He stops to check on Ana but she hadn't reacted at all except nodding a few times. No doubt trying to gather all the information and putting them together in her mind. Raith takes a deep breath and continues.

"**But . . . were betrayed . . . The mysterious . . . person . . . tried to take me but . . . Maigu Clan attacked. Got away . . . and left me . . . with my mother . . . dead . . . from attack."**

Raith tightened his fists together next to Ana while his mandibles clutched together so badly that he felt a stinging sensation in his inner mouth from the sharp tips digging into his flesh. But again, thanks to Ana, she calmed him down when she rubbed his cheek and then pressed her chest more onto him. She looks at him lovingly, letting him know that it was alright.

He sighs. **"Ever since . . . Du'rout . . . saved me . . . from being killed . . . that day."**

"But why?"

He heard a bit of concern in Ana's voice, probably wondering how this has to do with him being fearful of his father. He swallows and keeps on going, determined to let her know.

"**He made sure . . . no one knew . . . that I was there . . . despite not knowing . . . anything . . . that was happening. Kept it . . . secret or else . . . I would be killed."**

When he said that, Raith looked down and refused to look back at Ana. This was the reason why he couldn't go against his father. No matter how much he disliked it, it was a debt to pay off in letting him live. An unbearable silence filled the room as Raith remained as still as a statue . . . until Ana broke it.

"Do you remember who that person was?"

Raith shakes his head. **"It's . . . hard . . . to remember. Was covered . . . in a cloak but . . . he seemed . . . familiar . . . I don't know . . ."**

Raith tried to remember that moment when he met the stranger who was conversing with his mother. Although the stranger was cloaked, he noticed that they were shorter than any Yautja he had ever seen but it was quite a confusion since they could speak the Yautja language fluently. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying so it became difficult but before he knew it, chaos erupted. He could hear guns firing out of nowhere and Yautja roars and screams in the air. As a pup, he was terrified but he recalled one last thing the stranger said before he disappeared, sounding.

_Good luck getting out of this. _

The voice sounded wicked and almost like they knew this was going to happen. However, Raith, for some reason, sounded very familiar. This was making no sense, causing him to growl in frustration. But it was only an instant when Ana calls out.

"It's alright. Everything will be alright."

Although Raith wanted to fully believe that, he knew that it wasn't going to be like that. With all the secrets flying around their heads, Raith was starting to lose control of reality in some way or another. He turns to Ana and decides to ask him an important question.

"**Ana?"**

"Yes?"

She lifts her head and both of them look at each other for a few moments before he spoke. **"If . . . you carry . . . a secret . . . that might hurt . . . a lot of people . . . that you care about . . . what do you do?"**

Raith kept his gaze at Ana, seeing her eyes closed tightly as if trying to think about an answer. He patiently waited for her until she opened her eyes back to him and gave a small smile.

"Well . . . I'm not sure how big the secret is but if it was me, I would follow what my heart tells me. Even if it's not the easiest to follow, it's the right thing to do. If you care for everyone deeply, you would know what to do."

Taking in her words, Raith thought about it for some time and was surprised when it made some sense to him. But he didn't know if he was ready to speak out against his father. He wants to protect Ana, Maria, and even Za'taan from the devious plot that Du'rout has for them but he questions himself. Can he do it? Can he go against everything he was taught to protect those that are close to him?

Raith shakes his head before looking back at Ana, seeing her smile so brightly that it reminded him of the sun. Full of life . . .

"**Ana . . ."**

He calls her with such love and she smiles back in return. Before she could react, Raith jumps on her, pulling her body until she was underneath him. When he looks down at Ana and sees her nipples perked up while her breath hitched in pleasure, his cock started to grow in size and heat until it was too much for him to bear. Without warning, he plunged himself into her with one thrust. Ana moans loud in the air while Raith growls in ecstasy. As fast as lighting, Raith thrusts into her without relent as she screams into the air.

All the while, Raith kept thinking about her words over and over again, trying to make a decision that could change everything. But the concern if those changes would be good . . . or not.

**Hi Readers!**

**Thank you all for waiting patiently for this chapter to be posted. To be honest, this story has become much more difficult to keep writing with a good plot and everything else. I haven't been much invested in this story as I was in the beginning so I apologize if the plot and other things aren't consistent. So I understand if you have some issues with this story and I appreciate your honesty. But my promise remains the same . . . I'll be finishing this story so that when it's done, I can do **_**Metamorphosis **_**and **_**Nexus. **_

**Anyway, so Maria's pregnancy is going much faster than anticipated and can bring up some health issues to her. Scary . . . but at least the pup is doing well and it's a boy no less so that's good news. As for Raith, we know some of the reasons why he takes Du'rout's abuse despite his unwillingness to go with him. Not to mention that he's being pulled into a web that he can't get out of. Especially now that Du'rout found the device that links Maria to everything. **

**Lots of things are about to explode and it's going to get crazy! :O **

**Find out when Chapter 19 (and possibly Chapter 20) comes next week. **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, NeverNeverLady, and FantasyReader2 for the wonderful reviews on **_**Nexus**_**. They are what keeps me going and I'm dead serious about this. I hope that all of you keep support for me. I treasure all of them so much. :)**

**For Anonymous-E, I've decided to do the iPod classic as the music device. It reminds me of the old days and I missed it a lot. Lol. And let me know what you think about the song from Michael Jackson. (And thank you for the double sentences. I really appreciate it :))**

**And for Mariah and FantasyReader2 along with Anonymous-E, Datho is the number one ally for Daugo but there's going to be a lot of bad happening. And Daugo's past is very tragic and emotional so when it finally is posted, I know it will be worth it. :)**

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	19. Chapter 19 (Pointed Finger)

Chapter 19: Pointed Finger

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Two months later . . .]

[Raith's POV]

Walking through the hall, Raith made his way from the room where he left Ana as she was getting ready to visit Maria, heading towards the meeting room to answer a call. He knew what it was for and hoped it didn't have to come to this. However, he had to obey orders or else suffer the consequences to which past events reminded him every day.

Raith reaches the room, pushing on the door wide and making sure it closes behind him so no one else can come in. Once he was sure, he turns around and walks over to the stairs that led to the massive chair with Du'rout in it, tapping his claws on the arm and making a clicking sound. It took everything in Raith not to grunt in annoyance. It was bad enough that his father wanted a throne high above everyone else and it grew worse when that noise he was making started to ring in his head.

"_Finally made it. Took you long enough."_

Again, another reason to fuel the rage inside Raith and his control over it started to slip when he grunted softly. He was lucky that his father didn't catch on to it but it didn't make anything better.

Raith bows his head. _"Forgive me, my Lord."_

Du'rout huffed in annoyance, swiping his hand out in the air. Ever since two months ago when they talked about the plan, Du'rout had become more irritated than ever before. Diary knew all too well that his father had zero patience in him. He merely wondered how Du'rout lasted this long.

Raith stood and watched as Du'rout got up from his chair and made his way down until he stood right in front of him with a serious look on his face. His golden eyes pierced into Raith as he spoke.

"_It's time. We need to do this now or never."_

Those were the words that Raith hoped he wouldn't hear. Despite knowing the fact that Du'rout wouldn't change his mind once set, that small light was still there. But it disappeared as he watched Du'rout pull out the ooman device that he accused Maria of.

"_You know what needs to be done."_

Raith nodded. _"I know but . . . do we have to do this?"_

Du'rout responded aggressively, holding out his hand and slapping it across Raith's face. He could feel a burning sensation run across the side of his face and his head and neck started to ache from the whiplash. Raith ground the teeth of his inner mouth so hard that they started to creak against each other. He pulls his head straight back as Du'rout stood right up against him.

"_You can keep asking me so many times over the last two months but the answer will always be the same . . . This is for our clan and we're giving Maria a choice to leave Za'taan or else things will get worse from this point on. We. Are. Doing. This."_

Raith sighs, closing his eyes to keep from lashing out at him. If he did, it would be a worse situation for everyone. He hated this . . . He felt so weak that he started to not consider himself a true Yautja warrior. It made him sick to his stomach but he had no choice. He opens his eyes and nodded.

"_I . . . understand."_

He watches as Du'rout takes a few steps back and halfway turns to the door before stopping all of a sudden. Raith thought it was unusual and had a feeling that his father had something else to say. He was about to ask when Du'rout beat him to the punch.

"_And while you're heading to Za'taan, keep a watchful eye on your way."_

Raith tilted his head to the side in confusion. _"What do you mean?"_

"_Remember the figure that we saw snooping around the ship a few months ago that we couldn't track who it was?"_

"_Yes."_

Du'rout grunts. _"Well, we caught another sighting last night but again, they have eluded us. I'm starting to get pauking (fucking) pissed at my members. They're so incompetent."_

Raith has heard about a mysterious figure moving about in the ship that started a while ago. At first, everyone thought it was a mistake but then it happened again . . . and again. No one knows why it is happening but these appearances had contributed to Du'rout's frustration over time.

"_But that's the least of our concern."_

Raith's eyes widened a bit. _"Really?"_

Du'rout nods. _"The ooman ship following us has suddenly dropped back farther from us. It's unusual since they started to follow so close in the beginning."_

"_But why?"_

Du'rout shook his head, placing his hands on his hips. _"I don't know . . . but I have a feeling that they're waiting for something."_

"_Waiting for what?"_

But Raith didn't get an answer as his father immediately took off towards the door, not even glancing back but had one last thing to say. _"Make sure you tell Za'taan about everything and let him know what's at stake."_

And then, he was gone from the room as Raith stood there. But he stayed in the room much longer than anticipated, trying to think about how he should tell Za'taan about all of this. Should he do as his father said? Or the truth? Even if it means the destruction of all that he knew? Including Ana? He closes his eyes and remembers what she told him so long ago.

_I would follow what my heart tells me. Even if it's not the easiest to follow, it's the right thing to do. If you care for everyone deeply, you would know what to do._

Raith growls in frustration, digging his claws in his palms while his lower mandibles squeezed his upper ones into his inner mouth. The pain it brought was nothing compared to the one in his chest. After a while, Raith opens his eyes and had made his decision. With determination, he takes off out of the room to find Za'taan.

[Maria's POV]

Maria sits on a small bench that stood in front of a small window, revealing a dark space filled with stars that reminded her of the lights that hung on her Christmas tree when the holidays come around. It was a bit nostalgic . . . and strange since her old self wouldn't have bothered taking the time to stargaze, let alone sit there and watch. But it helped in relaxing her body and it was the only thing she was able to do since her body isn't exactly in great condition. Maria looks down and observes her enlarged belly, noting how enormous it has gotten in such a short time. She smiles and wraps her hands over it. Her heart leaping in joy when she felt a kick right up against her hand. But as time passed, Maria's smile that was etched on her face started to fade when she saw how thin her fingers were from the loss of energy. They barely had any muscle over her bones and it didn't help that her mind had to bring up certain memories that she wished weren't true.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[One month ago . . .]

"**What's happening to her!? You said that the treatments would help her!"**

Za'taan's roar shook the entire healing room, so powerful that it sent painful aches in her legs and hips when the table vibrated for an instant. Maria gasped a little, causing Za'taan to hurry back to her side at the table. One hand grabs her small on that was hanging off the side while the other was placed on her forehead, rubbing it gently and letting his marble skin soothe her. Maria takes a relaxing breath and looks up to Za'taan with a small smile.

"I'm alright, Za'taan. Just had a moment of pain but it's gone."

"**For now."**

She didn't like the tone that was laced with anger but not because of her. Her eyes wandered past Za'taan and towards Walter who was standing almost frozen with a slight bit of fear in his eyes. For a synthetic like himself, it was a surprise to Maria of how he was reacting, which she expected that he would keep his stoic posture like he did when they first met. She knew this had to be serious . . . and might turn deadly if Za'taan loses control over his rage. But in some ways, Maria couldn't blame him, especially since the progression of her pregnancy was going downhill according to the results and check-ups that was done each week.

"I'm sorry . . . I didn't think the baby would grow faster than this. Plus, I had no way of knowing how Maria's body could take the changes."

She watched Walter try to come closer to Maria but Za'taan growled when he got too close for comfort, twisting his head so fast towards Walter that the tips of his dreadlocks slapped onto her cheek but she held in the pain so it wouldn't add fuel to the fire that was already threatening to engulf everything close to it.

Za'taan spoke sternly but as calm as possible, clearly using all of his strength to keep from roaring again. **"You said that the treatment would give her the energy to keep up with this. But now . . . look at her. She's nothing more than bones."**

The way Za'taan said those words struck a nerve in Maria but her logical side knew he was right. As Za'taan and Walter exchanged a somewhat 'conversation', she looked down at herself and confirming to herself that Za'taan's words rang true. Her legs and arms were as skinny as a chicken's and not to mention that her skin was pale, almost to the point that she could be a vampire. If that wasn't enough, Maria felt a bit of strength was leaving her despite the daily dosage of energy boost each week that Walter provided. As much as she wanted to know what's going on, Maria only wanted to make sure her child was alright and so far it was doing better than herself.

Walter sighed in frustration, clearly showing some indication when he rubbed his forehead. "I understand, Za'taan. I can only do so much but if I increase the dosage anymore, it might harm the baby and Maria than help them."

Za'taan growls. **"Then do something else."**

"Za'taan . . ."

Maria calls to him, not wanting to make the situation worse and she knew it can be much more if not stopped early. She reaches for his hand and holds it as tightly as she could, which is probably even weaker than a healthy ooman. Za'taan heads her plea and grips her hand as well. Maria looks towards Walter and smiles.

"It's alright. You have done more than enough for me. How much longer until the due date?"

Walter blinks his eyes. "Not much longer. I suspect that you have another month at least. If we can keep your strength up till then, we can perform a c-section when the time comes."

She smiles. "Thank you."

Walter smiles this time, looking more hopeful than before. "You're welcome. For now, I suggest you get some rest and we'll keep the dosage of energy as it is. If you feel that you're getting weaker, let me know."

Maris looked to Za'taan and then back to Walter. "We will."

"Good. Take care unto next checkup."

Maria understood and when she was ready, Za'taan gets her on her feet and leads her out of the healer's room.

[Back to Present]

Maria draws back to the starry sky, not wanting to think any more of the situation and instead feel her baby moving in her belly. It was pretty strong and had broken a couple of ribs but not badly. After that though, Za'taan had kept an eye on her like a hawk so it was a lucky break that he was called out for something. It gave her the chance to get some fresh air instead of sitting in her room all day.

"**Maria!"**

Sure enough, her guard was right behind her, calling out in astonishment mixed with fury. She turns her head to the side and saw Za'taan stomping over, acting like he caught his child getting into trouble. The lights from the hallway made his red stripes glow beautifully and she couldn't help but admire them.

"**What are you doing out here?"**

Maria called weakly. "I wanted to get some fresh air. Is that wrong?"

She saw him open his mandibles and inner mouth, wanting to say more or even scold her but it vanished as soon as he did. He stops at her side and closes his eyes for only a moment.

"**No . . . But you need to keep your strength. You're almost close to delivery and we can't risk it if you're out of your room. I thought we already discussed this."**

Maria sighs. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll go back then."

She tries to lift herself from the bench but almost trips on her own feet. If it wasn't for Za'taan right by her side, she would have fallen flat on the floor. Za'taan's arms wrap around her back and hip, holding her close to his body but making sure not to crush her protruding belly.

"**Maria . . . Please . . . Let's get back to the room. At least for the sake of our son."**

He reaches down to her belly and rubs it gently. It was relaxing to Maria, almost made her want to fall asleep. She did understand that Za'taan was right and seeing the look of concern all over his face was causing her chest to sting with guilt. Without hesitation, she nods and Za'taan smiles as he guides her slowly back to their room. As soon as they got to the door, they heard a soft but loud voice calling.

"Maria! Za'taan!"

Both of them looked to the side and saw Ana running happily towards them. Maria was sure that she did the trick in embarrassing them when she saw some Yautjas that were standing to the sides looked over them with glares and grunts of annoyance. Still, Maria loved the uplifting spirit her friend provided. Enough to give her a boost of strength and walk towards her. Za'taan tried to pull her back but it was barely a tug, most likely he didn't want to hurt her with his strength. He released her and Maria wobbled over to her to which Ana and her embraced each other.

"Maria. How are you feeling?"

She pulls her head back and smiles. "I'm alright. Wanted to get some fresh air."

Ana's eyes widened in surprise. "And Za'taan let you?"

"**No, but that didn't stop her from going. Stubborn as she is."**

Za'taan comes strolling to them until he was by Maria's side again, wrapping one strong arm over her shoulders. **"We need yo get you back in the room to rest."**

Maria sighed in defeat, feeling a bit annoyed that Za'taan was acting like this but then again, he had a very good reason. She only wished that he would give some leniency when it comes to having time outside their room.

"Why don't I take her?"

Za'taan and Maria look back at their friend with surprise and confusion, especially for Za'taan as he clicked his mandibles together. **"Why you?"**

Ana shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly. "Walter and Tane are already in the room waiting for us." She turns her head over to Maria. "Besides, we wanted to discuss what name we should give your son. It's a very important matter and can't be taken lightly."

When Ana said that, Maria had forgotten about that. With everything going on with her and much more, she didn't even think about that during her pregnancy and it was tough to keep track of time given that her progress was going much faster than an ooman pregnancy.

"Also, Raith was looking for you. He wanted me to give a message that you should meet him in his room."

She saw Za'taan tilt his head with confusion written all over his face. **"Did he say what it was for?"**

Ana shook her head. "He didn't but said it was an urgent matter. I think you should go and see him."

"**But . . ."**

Za'taan looks over to Maria, hesitating on what he should do. Maria smiles gently at him. "It's alright, Za'taan. I've got Ana and everything else with me. If something should happen, we'll let you know."

She could see that he was hesitating but then he walks over to them until he's only a few inches away from her. Maria watched as he reached over and placed his massive hand over her belly, caressing it lovingly. She lifts her eyes to him and their eyes met.

"**Alright. Stay safe and I should be back soon."**

He removes his hand and places it on her cheek to which Maria presses her cheek harder into him, inhaling a bit of his sweet cinnamon smell that hasn't changed and she wouldn't have it any other way. Za'taan lets go of her and takes off in the opposite direction as Maria waited until she couldn't see him anymore. But before she could think any further, Ana had pulled her away from Za'taan and started to take her to her room.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Za'taan's POV]

After getting Maria settled back into her room and knowing that she was protected by Ana, Tane, and Walter, he exited the room when he got a call from Raith to meet him in his room. Normally, they would use the meeting room like before but Raith insisted upon it. Za'taan started to think that something is bothering him but had no idea in the slightest. Still, it sounded urgent and Za'taan couldn't help but investigate despite the urge to stay by Maria's side and make sure she and their pup were alright.

For some reason or another, the halls were busy with Yautjas walking back and forth in an urgent manner. It became quite confusing to Za'taan but also frustrating due to his father's lack of communication. Ever since they found out that Maria was pregnant, Du'rout seemed more agitated than ever and it has gotten so badly that Za'taan didn't want to bother speaking with him. These days, he would have to talk with Raith about what was going on but even his half-brother had limited information. It was practically silly for a Yautja such as Du'rout to act so 'child-like' in his opinion. All the more reason for him to meet with Raith and maybe ask a few questions about what was going on.

Finally, he managed to reach Raith's room and called out for him as soon as his body was inches in front of the door.

"_Raith. It's Za'taan."_

"_Come in."_

Not hesitating, Za'taan pushes the door wide open and hustles through inside, glad to get out of the hallway that was starting to become stuffy with more Yautjas. Something is going on. He inhales to get some fresh air despite being in a confined space but it was better than nothing. The room was a bit smaller than his despite Raith's ranking as second-in-command. No matter what rank you are, it doesn't always reflect in the background for each Yautja and it was no surprise given how Du'rout treats both of them . . . much worse than Raith. As soon as he entered, Raith was waiting for him, sitting on a chair in the back corner but sat up as soon as their eyes met. That is when Za'taan noticed something different. Normally, Raith would be poised and calm, not showing any emotions whatsoever as a true Yautja warrior should be. Instead, he could feel the tension radiating off of him and his eyes had concern written all over them.

"_Raith . . . What's wrong?"_

His brother doesn't answer immediately as he walked closer to Raith. He only stood there like a statue and looks like he was fighting an internal battle of some kind. Za'taan saw some of his mandibles twitching, which was a sign of distress from a Yautja. The tension started to build and Za'taan couldn't wait anymore.

"_Well? You wanted to see me . . . so tell me."_

Za'taan spoke a bit louder at the end of the sentence and that did the trick. Raith blinked his eyes, snapping out of whatever he was in. After a few more seconds, he finally opened his mouth and spoke.

"_I . . . need to tell you something."_

Za'taan grunts and crosses his arms over his chest. _"I'm listening."_

He waits as Raith moves closer to him until they were a few feet away from each other. Raith stops close enough that Za'taan could hear the erratic breathing that made him feel concerned for his brother's well-being. This isn't like him at all. But it wasn't long before Raith started to spill whatever he had to say.

"_It's about Maria."_

That got Za'taan's attention and his arms drop back to his sides, growling low enough that it didn't have a threatening tone but enough to show his displeasure. _"What about her?"_

Raith takes a deep breath. _"She's being targeted."_

"_By who?"_

There was a small pause but it was too long for Za'taan to handle. He roars in anger. _"By who!?"_

"_Du'rout . . ."_

When he heard that name, Za'taan freezes in his spot. Why would his father target Maria who was carrying the future of their clan . . . and his grandson? He knew that Du'rout didn't like oomans to some extent but couldn't imagine him going as far as targeting his mate.

The anger inside his chest started to burn and it took everything in him not to take it out on Raith who was the only Yautja around.

"_What . . . do you mean by that?"_

Raith answers. _"He has proof that Maria has been leading the oomans to us."_

Za'taan opens and closes his mouth in disbelief. _"What makes him think that Maria is helping the oomans? What kind of proof?"_

"_He found a device that has been sending out the signal we've been trying to track down and it was in her possession. Du'rout believes she had been deceiving us from the beginning."_

Za'taan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Accusing Maria because of a small thing? And to think that Maria herself would help Weyland at all? He couldn't hold back the anger in his chest and before Raith could react, Za'taan shoved him onto the wall and gripped his neck. With all of his strength, he raised Raith from the ground until his feet were hanging while he struggled to breathe.

"_How dare you and father accused Maria of such a thing?! The oomans tortured her . . . took everything away from her! Why would you think she would help them?!"_

"_I . . ."_

Raith struggled to answer, digging his claws into Za'taan's arms in an attempt to make him let go. _"Tell me!"_

"_It's . . . a . . . plot."_

It was very little words but it was enough for Za'taan to understand them. A plot? Things were becoming much more confusing for him. There were so many secrets that he didn't want to believe. With his mind in such a scramble, he releases the chokehold on Raith, letting him drop to the floor as he struggled to catch his breath. All the while, Za'taan steps back with his hands out a bit, looking confused and a bit shocked with all that was happening.

"_What plot are you talking about?"_

He waited for Raith as he recovered from his brutal attack. When he got enough breath back into his lungs, Raith straightens himself back onto his feet, glancing at him.

"_It's . . . father's plot to separate you and Maria."_

That got Za'taan's attention right away as he looks to Raith with shock. _"What?"_

As reassurance, Raith nods his head. _"It's true. I'm not sure if it's all true but he wanted me to tell you of Maria's betrayal in the hopes that you'll let her go."_

"_Let her go?"_

"_Yes. So that way you can take over the Uhri Clan when his time comes. He'll do anything to keep you on that path . . . even if it means breaking your bond with Maria. He's on his way to tell Maria about the evidence against her in case you don't believe him so she would leave you."_

Za'taan can feel a headache coming on from all of this. There was so much information hitting him at the same time that it took him a while before he got some sense of all of this. He knew that his father would do anything to keep the clan fit and strong but this . . . this was going too far when he involved Maria into all of this. Even if she did have some involvement in all of this. He leers right into Raith's eyes.

"_And you about this?"_

"_Since before Maria arrived."_

Again, the anger was starting to come back to him but it was starting to direct towards his father. He grips his fists together and can feel his blood dripping down from them but he didn't care.

"_Where is Du'rout now?"_

"_He's on his way towards Maria as we speak."_

_"Then let us go."_

With that said, Za'taan takes off out of the room and runs with all of his might with Raith following behind. But all Za'taan can think about is making sure he delivers the most unimaginable pain to Du'rout . . . even if he is his father. Regardless of any reason, he will protect Maria and their son with all of his might but he couldn't help but feel a slight doubt in his heart about how far Maria's involvement goes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

After Za'taan left her with Ana to discuss something with Raith, she sat down on the bed with Ana on one side while Tane and Walter sat on some chairs next to them. They had kept talking about baby names for who knows how long, going back and forth if it should be Yautja or ooman. She lost track when an hour had passed, hearing Ana and Tane bicker friendly about what baby name should Maria choose.

"But that one sounds like a kid who is most likely going to get beaten. I don't think Ezekiel is the right choice."

"Well, I don't believe Da'jikiel or something like that is going to fly by."

From what Maria observed, Tane like the baby to have an ooman name in case it came out an ooman but Ana did make a point that it wasn't certain. Walter tried to do several more images on the baby but it was limited, only showing the outline of her son rather than the specific details. With that in mind, Ana thought it best to have a Yautja name so that her son could fit into the current society . . . no matter how brutal it may seem. Maria didn't want to go back to Earth but more for her son's sake since he wouldn't be able to fit into that world despite being her home. She remembers her parents and how happy she was when she was merely a child, being held in her mother's warm arms and knowing she was safe. Maria hoped that she could provide her son with the same thing in this new world she lived in now. At least she had Ana and everyone else for support.

Ana's voice snaps Maria from her thoughts. "What do you think?"

Maria shook her head. "Huh? What about?"

She heard Ana grunt in frustration. "The name for the baby. Do you think Da'jikiel is the best or Ezekiel?"

"Well . . . I . . ."

"I think Ezekiel is the best. It's way better to pronounce."

Ana grunts in frustration and turns to Tane with a glare. "That's not the point."

Again, Tane and Ana went back into the argument and they were right back where they started. It was becoming so annoying that Maria wanted to get out of the room until her friends calmed down but with her body almost completely exhausted, she had no choice but to block it out of her mind as she closed her eyes.

"Enough! Both of you!"

Everything goes silent as Maria along with Ana and Tane look over to Walter who yelled out, clearly showing annoyance. In a way, Maria was glad that he silenced them or else she feared her head would explode. She watches Walter sigh as he looks over to Maria.

"We should ask Maria what she wants for her son's name. It's her decision, right?"

He turns to Tane and Ana as they both look down in shame. After a few moments, they lifted their heads and turn to Maria. Ana spoke out for the pair of them. "We're sorry, Maria. Walter is right and we should have considered your opinion in all of this."

With that, Maria smiles at the two of them along with Walter who made his way to the edge of the bed. "It's alright. I know you both mean well."

She saw both of them smile and then look at each other with the same expression. She was glad that Tane and Ana got along over the last two months. There were some arguments between them but nothing that went out of hand. More of a friend's quarrel than anything.

When that was finished, everyone turned their gaze on her but Tane was the first to speak. "So . . . what do you want to name your son?"

"Well . . ."

Maria tapped a finger on her chin, thinking hard about her decision that she already made but it was a matter if her friends would approve of it. Maybe Ana . . . but not sure about Walter and Tane. After not being able to say whatever is on her mind, she decided to wing it and see how it goes.

"I was thinking that . . . I wanted to name my son after Ya'stu and I'stih since they were the first Yautjas that ever accepted me as an equal."

"Ya'stu? I'stih?"

Of course, Maria expected Tane to not about them since she didn't speak to her about it during their imprisonment, especially since everyone thought that she was some crazy bitch. Maria was about to explain it to her but Ana beat her to the punch but she was glad that Ana explained much better than she would.

"They were brothers of Za'taan that protected us from the _kainde amedha_ and gave their lives to make sure we survived. We wouldn't be here if not for them."

With that, Maria couldn't help but look back at the good memories with both of the brothers. She remembered when Ya'stu would try to make her laugh and smile, doing silly things to make sure she was okay. As for I'stih, it was nice to hear the advice of wisdom from him. She believed that if he was still alive, then he would have gotten far in Yautja society and may become something much more. Maria smiled at the good memories she shared with them.

"Yeah. I missed them so much."

It was silent for a few moments between the room until Maria took a deep breath and looked at all her friends around her. "I want my son to have a name between them."

"Why don't you just mix them?"

The gears in Maria's head started to spin. Somehow, Ana had a great idea that she loved very much. She looked towards her friend and smiled enormously. "That's a great idea."

Both of them smiled and Maris started to think of a good combination between Ya'stu and I'stih but she knew deep down that the brothers would have approved of her choice no matter what and might even feel honored to have a nephew named after them. This was a sweet moment that she never wanted to end.

But that moment was broken when they heard the door to the room slam open. It scared everyone to death, including Maria and it didn't help when her body jerked and sent a jolt of pain through her spine. She cries out, making Tane and Ana move to her side in support while Walter stood right next to them, holding his hand out for protection.

At first, they merely saw a shadow until the light from the room revealed to be Du'rout. His armor shined brightly as he closed the door behind them and stomped over to the bed where Maria was. She didn't like the look in his eyes despite seemingly devoid of emotions to the untrained eye but she knew otherwise. Du'rout had something to discuss with her about or at least she hoped . . . in some way. He stopped a few feet from the bed before straightening himself into a position that a Clan Leader would . . . serious and poised.

"Is there something wrong, Du'rout?"

Maria called out, wondering what made him barge into the room unannounced. Plus, she didn't want to make the situation worse because she could see the look of anger in both Tane and Ana. Walter remained steady and calm, looking back at her once in a while but kept a close focus on Du'rout.

"**I need to speak with you."**

"Why didn't you call from outside and tell us instead of barging in like that?"

Ana spoke sternly at Du'rout and anyone else would have thought her insane for pulling a stunt like that towards a Yautja and even one of his high status. Maria can see that Tane wasn't as confident as Ana and she couldn't blame her. She had been treated badly before arriving her along with being held as a prisoner by the Uhri Clan. Maria looked back quickly when Du'rout snarled like a trapped animal, aggressively raising his shoulders.

"**You should keep your tongue back in or else I'll cut it off."**

Ana answered back with as much fury as Du'rout. "Try it."

Maria can see the struggle in Du'rout's eyes not to rip her apart at that moment. She couldn't let this happen so without hesitation, Maria scooted to the edge of the bed and placed her feet on the ground, pushing up until she could stand while minding her protruding belly. Immediately, Ana and Tane came to her side and tried to push her back on the bed.

"Maria. Please. You don't need to push yourself."

Again, Tane and Ana grabbed each of her arms and tried to pull her back but Maria swiped them away. "No. If he needs to talk to me, then it must be important."

With that, Tane and Ana immediately let go of her as Maria slowly walked over to Du'rout until she was standing right in front of her. Walter had come to her side but didn't try to pull her away . . . merely making sure she was alright. She nodded to him and looked into Du'rout's eyes.

"What is it?"

Du'rout sighs to calm himself down before addressing her. **"I'll get straight to the point . . . you and your ooman friends are in danger here."**

Maria lifts her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"**We have discovered you've been plotting behind our backs. Haven't you?"**

Maria's mind started to scramble for an explanation as to why Du'rout was accusing her about something she doesn't know why. "I don't understand."

She watches Du'rout reach into a side pocket by his hip, scrambling a bit before pulling out an object that she recognized all too well. It was the device that was given to her by Walter when they were back at Weyland. Her eyes immediately widened in shock by the sight of Du'rout holding it out to her. How did he even find it? She hid it so well that no one would have guessed it was there, to begin with . . . but somehow . . . it was right in front of her.

"**Can you explain what this is?"**

Right at that moment, Maria's mind goes into a frenzy and in her heart, she knows that this won't go too well for her. But little did she know that this was the start of a deadly chain full of lies and betrayal that will consume them all.

**Hi Readers!**

**My apologies for the late update of this chapter. For those who have not seen my recent Instagram post, a power outage came to my house and I was not able to access my story until late last night. But here is it! And I hope that all of you will love it. Especially with all the questions still left unanswered that some will be put to rest very soon. **

**So Maria's having a hard time trying to keep her pregnancy going and she's getting weaker and weaker as the due date comes closer. But at least she's getting some help in finding a name and I like she decided to go with a mix between Ya'stu and I'stih. And I actually would like your opinion on what name should Maria and Za'taan's son be called. Let me know in your reviews :)**

**But of course, Du'rout has to butt in like he thinks he's badass and is probably going to start accusing Maria of betraying them. What a dick! Urg! But the good news is that Raith is telling Za'taan the truth and still believes Maria is innocent. **

**So many questions . . . What will happen to Maria? Will she make it to her due date? Will Za'taan be able to protect her from Du'rout? Plus . . . who is the figure that's moving about the ship for the last two months? Does it have to do with the Weyland ship holding back? **

**Find out when Chapter 21 comes this Sunday (9/8/19). And trust me . . . the last few chapters will answer them as best as they can. **_**Spoiler Alert: Someone has betrayed them. But who? **_

**And let's go football! :D **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Maria, NeverNeverLady, and Guest for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Thank you for all the support and corrections :)**

**For Anonymous-E, another song I would like to put in a bonus is called "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. That song is about equal to Michael Jackson. Let me know what you think.**

**And for Mariah, Maria might tell about Weyland forcing her to do this but it will be hard since he did threaten to hurt Ana. It is a possibility since Du'rout will try everything to push her out of the clan, even if she's pregnant with his grandchild.**

**For NeverNeverLady2, I can't say much to answer your review but I can tell you to follow your instinct. That's all I can say. :) **

**And Guest . . . keep on reading and who knows what might go down. **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	20. Chapter 20 (Ambush)

Chapter 20: Ambush

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

Maria's eyes stay fixated on the device Du'rout was twirling around between his fingers. The way he spoke with a serious tone laced with malice sent shivers down her spine. Maria opened and closed her mouth, trying her best to explain but not reveal all the details. She remembers all too well what the consequences are if Weyland found out about this. Her eyes glanced for a second to Ana as fear and worry drove into her heart, reminding her of what will happen to her best friend.

"I . . . don't know what that is."

She heard a small hiss coming from Du'rout and his eyes leer into her. Maria doesn't dare to look into her friend's faces, worried that she might lose it. She can sense how much Du'rout was holding back but couldn't understand what he was doing this now. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

"**Don't lie to me. We found this in your possession and confirmed that it's sending a signal for the oomans to trail us."**

Again, Maria started to stutter and trying to look elsewhere other than Du'rout or anyone else but it made Du'rout even more frustrated. He lets out a small growl that brought her attention back to him but she also heard gasps from Tane on her side. She glanced over and saw her shivering with absolute fear. Ana and Walter remained steadfast, barely dazed by Du'rout.

"**We know you're involved with the oomans known as Weyland Yutani and we have evidence that you're helping them."**

"What?"

Maria couldn't come up with a response to that. She was on the verge of breaking her metal stronghold and telling them everything. But a glance over to Ana and the memory of her being in so much pain, it was the only thing keeping her strong. Plus, she kept telling herself that Du'rout is trying to push her buttons but has no idea why. Her hands involuntarily went down to her stomach when she felt a kick from the baby inside. She swallows and looks back to Du'rout.

"I don't know what you're applying. All of us were imprisoned by Weyland and want nothing more to do with them. It's only circumstantial."

"**Oh really? Then why do you still have that?"**

Maria doesn't answer and thought he was going to react even angrier than before. Instead, Du'rout closes his eyes and stays like that for a moment or two until he opens them with conviction in them.

"**Regardless, you're all in danger from the other members of the Uhri Clan. And Za'taan has been informed."**

When he said that last part about Za'taan, Maria's mind goes back into confused and scared mode. Za'taan knows? She can only wonder what he must be thinking if it was true he was told about all of this. Doubt started to deep into her to the point that she started to shake. Ana and the others must have noticed because the next thing she knew, Tane and Ana were right next to her, yelling right into Du'rout's face.

"Stop this! Maria is not well!"

"Please! Stop!"

Although they meant well, Maria knew it was a reckless move to pull towards a Yautja . . . especially an angry one. In a split second, Du'rout growls aggressively and it was close to changing into a full-blown roar. His eyes started to shine so intensely that they look like they were going to burn out of his sockets.

"**She needs to understand. All of you. This is no joke. Despite being pregnant with the future leader's pup, the others won't hesitate to bring harm to you and your ooman friends. All I'm here is to give you an offer."**

Maria pulls her head back, confused by his words. "Offer?"

Du'rout nods. **"I can take you and your friends somewhere safe and ensure you have all the necessary equipment to deliver the pup."**

"But?"

Du'rout sighs. **"You must leave Za'taan of your own volition."**

Maria couldn't believe what Du'rout was requesting of her or rather she knew to some extent but couldn't imagine he would say it out loud. Moreover, she didn't want to leave Za'taan, especially with their son on the way. But then, she remembered that Za'taan was informed about everything and through for a split second that he would believe it. Could he think she did this on purpose? What will he say if she did leave? She looks down at her stomach as time around her slowed down.

After all the times we've been together . . . All the times in which we fought . . . the time they mourn together when they lost I'stih and Ya'stu. And the happy moments when they were together. Now, they had a child to think about now. Maria knew better that Za'taan would never think she betrayed him. Something must be up. With a new sense of confidence, Maria glanced back to Du'rout and made sure to look right in the middle of his eyes where the pupils were.

"I refuse."

His facial expression turns sour. **"What . . . did you say?"**

"You heard me. I refuse your offer. Despite all the evidence, you might have on me or my friends, I know that Za'taan is better than to believe in your own words. We have been through thick and thin to be swayed by some rumors. And even if they were true, I would never have conceded to any of it. If it weren't for—"

Maria stopped herself just as she was about to spill the beans. She had to think of the consequences and feared that Weyland will catch wind of her betrayal or if she even called it that. She tightened her lips together and watched when Du'rout's eyes widened. She didn't know if it was because he was about to hear the evidence he needed to get rid of Maria or that he couldn't believe she was going against him. It was a split second before she felt a burning sensation across her cheek, feeling her body fly in midair before her side slams onto the metal floor. She cried from the impact that sent jolts all over her left side but all she could think about was her son. Maria curled into a fetal position with her arms wrapped around her belly in a protective shield. She slowly looks up to see some red spots on Du'rout's claws through her blurred vision and realized he had slapped her. Her old self would have retaliated but her weak body refused to move as Tane and Walter came to her side with the latter lifting her and tending to the wound on her cheek.

"You fucking bastard!"

She watched Ana run towards Du'rout with all of her might, angry that she saw her best friend being slapped and fall towards the floor. Despite being weaker than him, Ana raised a fist and hurled it towards Du'rout's face. With a quick motion, he grabbed her wrist and tugged forwards, throwing her behind and across the room. Maria heard her cry in pain when she slammed into the wall.

"Ana!"

She cried for her and saw Ana lift herself from the floor, holding her arm across her chest. She wasn't an expert but Maria can tell it was broken the way her wrist was bending a bit further than it's supposed to. However, her attention diverted to Du'rout who inches closer to them, stomping like an angry T-Rex ready to chomp down on its prey. The way Du'rout was looking down on her with such hatred, she could easily believe it.

"**I gave you one chance to leave in peace . . . but you left me with no choice. I need you gone so that Za'taan can focus on more important things."**

In a surprise to Maria, Tane steps up and puts herself between them and Du'rout. It was quite unusual since Tane had an enormous fear of Yautjas, to begin with. She screams with all of her might at him.

"What important things?! You just harmed a pregnant woman who's completely defenseless against a monster like you! Who carries your grandchild! What's so important!?"

Du'rout roars with such ferocity that it vibrated the ground where Maria laid. **"I don't have to answer to an inferior creature such as yourself!? The only reason any of you were taken into our ship is to convince Za'taan that he needs to focus on his duties as Successor rather than doddle with oomans like you!"**

That was news to Maria and everyone else. So she knew now that Du'rout was merely trying to get rid of her. All this time when he talked to her about doing whatever it takes to protect Za'taan was all an act so he could break them apart. There was so much deception around her that Maria couldn't tell who was her friend . . . or enemy. Her thoughts here interrupted when Tane screams back in response.

"I should have known better! All of your kind are nothing more than monsters that do whatever the fuck they like. I can't stand it anymore!"

All of a sudden, Tane reaches into her back pocket and pulled out some sort of black stick that Maria couldn't tell what it was. She whips it into the air and reveals it in the air and that's when Maria got a good look at it. Like before, she saw that it was thick and black, reminding her of a pen that is twice the size it's supposed to be. But it had a red button on the top of it where Tane's thumb rest to the side of it. A small, cord stuck out from the bottom of it, making no sense to Maria. Walter pulls Maria up on her feet with his support and Ana lumps around Du'rout and Tane until she made it back to her. Maria grabs her into her arms, careful as to not hurt her arm.

"Ana. I'm so sorry."

It was all Maria could say. It felt like her fault that she got involved in all of this. Like the friend she loved, Ana smiled and rubbed her cheek with her uninjured hand, barely gliding over the bruise that was forming on Maria's cheek as her other hand stays pressed on her chest.

"It's alright as long as you are."

Both of them smiled but immediately turned their attention back to the situation when Du'rout growls at Tane who stood there unfazed and rather angry at him. A sight that Maria thought she would never see coming from Tane. Ana . . . maybe . . . but not Tane.

"**What are you holding?"**

She could hear Tane grinding her teeth so hard and saw the grip on the small black pen tightened. Her thumb twitching closer to the red button as she spoke, taking breaths in between.

"I wanted to do this the moment I came here . . . but . . . after getting to know Za'taan and even Raith . . . I thought that Yautjas were more than simple hunters who killed for sport. But after this . . . I know that you're monsters that can't change."

And then, Tane turned her head to the side and made contact with Maria and everyone else but more with her. Maria tightened her eyebrows together in confusion until Tane started to speak once more.

"You're a fool, Maria. For associating with these creatures. And even more so when you became pregnant with one. And that's more of a reason to do this."

Maria watches as Tane lifted the thing in her hand higher into the air to show everyone. Her thumb goes to the edge of the red button and flips off the cover to reveal a smaller, red button. But then, she heard a small beeping sound coming from the top along with a light that started flashing next to the button. Maria started to put the pieces together in what Tane is doing and it took her a split second more before she snaps in horror.

"Tane! Don't do it!"

Her friend gives her one last, sorrowful look before her thumb presses on the red button and everything around them blows into chaos.

"Tane!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Za'taan's POV]

Za'taan and Raith rush through the hallway and into the direction of the room where Maria and everyone else was in. It was a bit further than he liked it but it mattered little as his mind was focused more on what he was going to do to their father. But just as he was about to take one more step, he heard a sound that stopped him in his tracks.

"_Za'taan . . . What is it?"_

"_Do you hear that?"_

Za'taan and Raith stayed as still as possible, trying to figure out the sound that kept beeping constantly and out of nowhere. Za'taan looks around him but can't figure out where it was coming from. That is until his eyes caught sight of something shining from above. In an instant, he lifts his head and saw a small square object with a red light flashing. He tilts his head in confusion and curiosity, trying to figure out what it was. But then, the red light suddenly stops its flashing and the red light goes constant. The next thing he knew, he heard a screeching sound that got louder and louder. Za'taan's eyes widened when he realized what was going to happen. Without hesitation, Za'taan whips around and runs towards Raith.

"_GET DOWN!"_

His body collides with Raith's and both go tumbling down just as the huge, flashing light erupts from above. Metal debris from the walls rains down on them, prickling his skin painfully. He could hear more explosions further away and down the hallway, making the ship feel like he was in a war zone. A few seconds passed before the explosions stopped but replaced with the alarms from the ship and the red lights flashing in a warning. Za'taan lifts himself along with Raith, looking right at him and vise versa.

"_What the pauk (fuck) was that!?"_

Raith roars in disbelief and Za'taan took a moment to look back at where the object was and saw nothing more than a crater left behind. Just as he thought . . .

"_There was a bomb right above us."_

"_How the pauk (fuck) did a bomb get into our ship!?"_

Za'taan shakes his head. _"I don't know . . . I heard more going off but we need to get to others. Now."_

They didn't even take a second to decide and both Yautjas took off like the speed of light, running over debris that had been ripped off from the walls. Za'taan couldn't stop thinking of Maria and the others were safe. He needed to get to her as soon as possible and it gave him the strength to push his legs harder and faster. It wasn't long before they saw the complete damage on the ship. Further down the hall, they saw several Yautjas lying on the ground with some covered in green neon blood, unmoving with eyes glazed over with death while others were roaring in agony. Za'taan saw a glimpse of one holding his severed arm that had been sliced off by a piece of metal. He saw nothing but chaos around him. What was going on around here?

But then, his wrist gauntlet started beeping erratically. Za'taan groans in annoyance and decided to answer the call while running. He presses on the calling code and a crackling noise erupts. Za'taan roars in frustration.

"_What is it!?"_

A voice struggles through the crackling but it was enough that he could hear it enough. _"The ship got bombarded by explosions in the far left section! We've taken heavy damage!"_

"_No c'jit (shit)! We were on it! What else is new!?"_

"_No, my lord! We're taking more heavy fire from the ooman ship as well! They've begun to attack us!"_

"_What!?"_

Za'taan couldn't believe he was hearing the last part. It wasn't a coincidence that Weyland decided to jump in and attack them after the explosions. It was confirmed when he heard small blasts hitting the outside of the wall they were running beside. He looks towards Raith who had kept up and was on his side, looking just as surprised as him.

But then, the voice coming from Za'taan's wrist gauntlet became frantic and the words he spoke sent his mind into chaos.

"_The ooman ship has broken through into our ship. Soldiers have started infiltrating in your area!"_

When he heard that, Za'taan's mind went into chaos. If it's true that the oomans are inside the ship and close to them, it means that they are close to where Maria is. Not giving another thought, Za'taan ends the communication and pushes even faster. Enough that Raith noticed the sudden change.

"_Za'taan! What happened!?"_

_"Weyland soldiers are on the ship! They're near Maria and the others!"_

"_What!?"_

It was no surprise to Za'taan that Raith reacted like that . . . with anger and disbelief. After all, Ana was there as well, so both of them have someone to worry about. Za'taan looks back to him once more, nodding in agreement that they needed to hurry. Both moved through the hallway with more bodies and debris decorating it. Finally, for what seemed like forever, Za'taan saw the door to his room only a few feet away. Za'taan runs as hard as he could, slamming into it with all of his might. It was enough that the door comes off of the wall and falls to the ground, creating a cloud of dust that obscured his sight. After a few seconds, the dust settles and what Za'taan saw sent fear into his heart.

All he saw were several ooman soldiers raising their guns at him and Raith who had stopped by his side. There had to be a dozen or more in front of him, not like he couldn't take all of them on his own. But then, his eyes wander towards the middle of the group and saw Ana and Walter being held prisoner by some of the soldiers. But where was Maria? Za'taan started to panic but it wasn't long before he heard an ooman voice.

"It's alright boys. I need to speak with him after all."

The soldiers kept their guns on Za'taan and Raith as they pulled away from the middle even more until they revealed an older male with grey hair covering his head. He was clothed in a tight, military suit and stood like he was the leader, grinning at him that made Za'taan let out a small growl. What made it even more confusing was Tane standing right next to him and not being imprisoned like the others. It didn't make any sense at all. He looks to the side and saw Du'rout on the floor, struggling to breathe. Closer observation showed that the skin on his whole left side was completely burned that may have been made from an explosion. It's no surprise since right on the side of the room, the wall was completely blasted open that leads to the loading bay. Must be where the ooman's ship had connected with theirs. His eyes wander a little more towards his side and that is when he saw Maria. She was being held by one of the soldiers but it was more like he was trying to keep her upright on her feet. It was then he saw her cheek was swollen red and had massive cuts that look like some animal attacked her. Maria's eyes catch his own and he couldn't help but let out a small, worried purr. It was made worse when she called for him.

"Za'taan!"

"**Maria."**

Za'taan calls as well but as soon as he tried to reach for her, the soldiers clicked their guns and aimed right for his head. Za'taan growls and raises his shoulders to show his incredible strength for intimidation but it did little to help. The soldiers didn't even react and kept their eyes leered on him as the older ooman takes a few steps closer.

"Well . . . so you must be Za'taan. I have to say . . . I'm honored to meet you for the first time."

Za'taan growls. **"Who are you?"**

The older ooman chuckles. "You don't know. I thought Maria would have told me about me but I guess this allows me to introduce myself. My name is Weyland."

Za'taan's eyes popped out a bit in surprise, knowing that this was the man who had imprisoned Maria and tortured her for years when they were separated. His mandibles opened wide and he growled menacingly.

"**Weyland . . ."**

Weyland chuckles. "So you've heard about me then? That takes care of some things. I figured we would me but in a much more . . . calmer situation."

"**With you severed head in my hands."**

He watched Weyland raise his hands but still smirking like he was joking. The anger inside Za'taan's chest started to hurt. Weyland lowers his hands and moves closer to Tane who stood there, leering right at him. "Now . . . that's no way to treat your guests, especially since you've taken care of Tane for us. After all, she was the key to give us access to your ship since we know you weren't going to do the same."

Za'taan pulls his head back as if he was struck hard on the forehead. Tane . . . is involved in all of this? He looks over to Maria and she was just as shocked as he was. Maria didn't know anything about this so Tane must have kept this a secret. But how far does her involvement go? He watched Weyland pat Tane's shoulder like he was giving her a good job. Tane looked down to the ground, refused to say anything but Weyland spoke for her.

"I had to admit . . . It was nerve-wracking from the beginning when we made a deal with Tane that if she could plant a few explosions in your ship, we would grant her freedom. Although she was the perfect candidate since she was friends with Maria, I didn't think she would pull it off but here we are."

Za'taan's body froze in confusion and disbelief as what he was hearing. He looks over to Maria and she gasps when the words sink into her mind. "Tane . . . Is it true?"

Her friend turns her head to the side and speaks softly. "They offered me freedom. After these creatures treated me when I arrived, I needed to do this. I was sold by my family . . . brought to a place that felt like jail . . . and then here. These monsters are all the same and I have been treated nothing more than an animal all my life. I had enough.."

Za'taan watched Maria shake her head so fast like she didn't want to believe it. "How could you? After everything Weyland has done . . . you chose to side with the man who tortured us?"

Tane turns her head away, not wanting to say any more while Weyland patted her shoulder one last time before letting go, looking back to Maria. "You're one to talk, Maria. You're just as bad as she is but then again, you had a very good reason."

Za'taan absorbs those words and looks back at Maria. "What is he talking about?"

Maria opens her mouth but only stutters come out of her. Za'taan knew about some things about Maria being suspected of involvement but never knew the details of it and if they were true. He does have faith that Maria wasn't the sort to betray him or anyone she loved but his curiosity was starting to overpower him. His attention goes back to Weyland when he chuckles.

"Good job, Maria. You didn't say anything about our connection so you've kept your end of the bargain. I mean . . . I didn't think you would keep your mouth shut when I told you to keep the device with you so that we can track your location. But good job to you, my dear."

Weyland looks over to Za'taan and noticed the look of disbelief that he was showing. Za'taan couldn't fathom what he was hearing. His eyes become fixated on Maria as he saw the shock on her own. Did she know about this? His mind scrambled to find a reason why she would help these oomans. His faith in her started to shake and he couldn't even voice out what he thinks about all of this. Za'taan hears him chuckle again and it was starting to get rather annoying but he stays focused on Maria who was starting to lean on the soldier for support. He saw her legs starting to shake uncontrollably. Despite everything, Za'taan wanted to make sure she was alright. Weyland calls to hm and Za'taan turns to him, leering right in between his eyes.

"Awww . . . don't be like that. It's not as if we threatened to hurt her friend Ana if she refused. That's one of Maria's main weaknesses after all."

When he heard that last part, all the pieces in Za'taan's mind came together and it made some sense now. So Maria had to do what she needed to do. She didn't work with them under her own accord. Za'taan should have known better than Maria would do anything to protect her beloved ones. Plus, it made sense with the other matter with Ana. But before he could ask, Raith was the first to step forward and growl with malice.

"**So . . . you have hurt Ana . . . all this time!?"**

Weyland looked surprised when Raith spoke in ooman language. "So you do speak? That makes things better for communication. You are right that we threatened to hurt Ana if Maria didn't cooperate. We did have a perfect reason for implating that chip in Ana's head. It has a marvelous way to make people do what we want."

Right then, Weyland pulls out a device that Za'taan recognized as being the master control that Maria and the others had brought with them the first time they came to the ship. He thought it was disabled and destroyed by Walter but here it was . . . right in Weyland's hand as clear as day. But all of a sudden, Za'taan sees Weyland press on it and the next thing he knew, Ana screams so hard that the screeches started to vibrate his head almost, creating a headache right in the middle of it. Ana falls to the floor with the soldier's arm still wrapped around her while she claws at her head. Tears started to flow down her cheeks and it was the same for Maria as she cried for them to stop. He looked over to Raith and saw the rage growing in him as he roars.

"**Stop! Don't . . . hurt her!"**

Surprisingly, Weyland accepted Raith's request and presses on the device once more and in an instant, Ana's screams stopped as she took deep breaths to get air back into her lungs but it looked like a struggle for her.

"See? Very useful to get what I want."

Za'taan looks back to Weyland, unable to control his anger much longer. He steps forward, causing the soldiers to hold their guns towards him but he didn't care. His mandibles open a little as he slams his front foot to the ground.

"**You pauking (fucking) bastard. You will pay for this. I guarantee you!"**

Za'taan roars and without thinking, he lunges forward. His feet push with all of their might as he runs towards Weyland despite the soldiers in front of him. He was going to kill him, make his head a trophy and display it for everyone to see. But in the back of his mind, Za'taan was confused as to why the soldiers didn't try to shoot at him nor move to block his way. Weyland remained still with a grin on his face. Za'taan pulls out his wrist blades and was about to plunge them into his neck until a strong force hits him on the side. Za'taan flies through the air and slams into the wall. He felt some bones cracking in his shoulder but he pressed his hand on the wall to keep him on his feet. He shakes his head and looks over to what hit him. What he saw next shocked him beyond anything else. In the area where he was before, a full-body armored Yautja stood tall and in front of Weyland . . . like he was protecting him. Za'taan looks behind and saw another similar Yautja standing a few inches behind, looking more menacing than the other. In what insane world would Yautjas side with this pathetic ooman? Plus, Za'taan could smell something from the Yautjas that made him feel sick. Smelled like rotting flesh. He pushes himself from the wall and growls right at them, speaking in Yautja tongue.

"_You traitors! How can you side with the oomans!"_

They didn't answer and not even flinched. This was completely unusual for them to react like they were statues. No growls or clicks . . . nothing. Za'taan tries again. _"Answer me!"_

Again, they didn't respond and Za'taan couldn't tell if they understood him with their cold masks on their faces. But for an instant, something caught his attention. He noticed that one of them had golden blotches over his skin while the other had lighter patches of green. To him, they seemed very familiar. His thoughts were interrupted when Weyland speaks.

"It's no use calling for them. They are under my control and only obey me. My new bodyguards that have proven useful in the last three years."

Za'taan growls. **"What did you do to them?"**

Weyland chuckles once more. Za'taan swears that he was going to rip his jaw off when he had the chance. "Done to them? They were going to rot away if my soldiers didn't find them on Earth in the first place . . . after you left them."

"**Left them?"**

It was silent in the room for a few moments before Weyland smirked, raising his hand in the air in the form of a signal. "Take them off."

Right on cue, the two Yautjas reached for their masks, yanking the tubes off in the process. Slowly, Za'taan watched as they lowered their masks off until their faces were revealed. Of all the times, Za'taan never felt this shocked and surprised at this moment.

The first Yautja in front was none other than his brother . . . I'stih and the other behind him was Ya'stu. He knew that face anywhere and wouldn't have forgotten him. How could it be him?! The last time they saw I'stih, he was killed by a swarm of _kainde amedha _while Ya'stu was stabbed to death by Vahrouh. They both died right in front of them . . . so how were they hear?! It was then that Za'taan noticed a few differences on their faces. I'stih's lower mandible was missing chunks of skin and muscle that revealed bone underneath and it was the same in every inch of his face. The rotting smell grew stronger and Za'taan realized that it was coming from them. I'stih's eyes were clouded with white instead of bright gold and his pupils were dilated to the edge of the irises. It was the same for Ya'stu who had less open flesh wounds but the eyes were the same. It was like . . . they were dead but still moving.

"I'stih . . . Ya'stu . . ."

He heard Maria call out in despair and he looks over to her. His heart starts to break when she saw tears falling from her cheeks. He can only imagine the sorrow that was flowing in her. Za'taan looked at them a few more moments before he glared right at Weyland, roaring with all the air he had in his lungs. **"You pauking (fucking) bastard! What have you done!?"**

All Weyland did was raise his arms into the air. "I told you. After finding their bodies on Earth, it was a perfect opportunity to test out my new invention . . . Reanimation using a small chip similar to Ana's except I have complete control. After all, they are only walking corpses but still useful. Like this."

Weyland looks towards Ya'stu and nods. In an instant, Ya'stu's corpse walks over past the soldiers and towards Du'rout who was still lying on the ground but at least got up with one elbow. Still struggling, Du'rout looks up towards Ya'stu as he pulled out a knife from his belt. In an instant, Weyland gives the command.

"Kill him."

Before anyone can react, Ya'stu plunges the knife into Du'rout's throat and drags it across until it severs the windpipe. Za'taan can only watch in horror as Du'rout started to gurgle out green neon blood while clawing at Ya'stu. It does little to help and in the next few moments, Du'rout's hand drops to the ground and Za'taan could no longer see his father's chest rise and fall.

He . . . was dead.

Za'taan grips his fists together while his mandibles tightened close to his inner mouth. He glances a bit to Raith and saw he was just as angry and surprised as himself to see such an unbelievable event. But then, their attention goes back to Weyland who starts to walk back towards where Maria is. He nods to the soldiers holding Ana and Walter and they start dragging them, following Weyland as he makes his way to the blasted wall.

"**Where the pauk are you going!?"**

The soldiers kept on walking except Weyland with Tane by his side and Maria still being held by one soldier. Weyland turns around and grins. "I'm leaving. I had no more time to waste with you and I have much more pressing matters to attend."

Za'taan hears Maria whine in pain as the soldiers pulled her up again when she started to falter. He could see the pain in her and a fit of rage, he roars. **"Let them go! Let Maria go!"**

Weyland shakes his head. "I don't think so. You see . . . Maria carries the future of evolution in her belly and we don't want to miss the chance to 'experiment' with it. Don't worry . . . we will take good care of her and the child."

Za'taan sees the horror start to show in Maria's face at what Weyland wants to do with her and their unborn pup. Now . . . he was pauking (fucking) pissed. Without warning, Za'taan lunges towards Weyland once more but his way was blocked by I'stih's and Ya'stu's corpses, standing there like statues. Za'taan felt Raith come to his side while he glares at Weyland when he got a clear view between I'stih and Ya'stu.

"Good luck with trying to fight your brothers. And don't think you're going to get any help. My men are keeping your 'friends' busy while we make our escape. Have a nice day."

With that, Weyland turns around and walks through the wall. The soldier holding Maria drags her afterward. Za'taan hears her scream and cries, reaching her hand out to him desperately.

"Za'taan!"

He hears her call for him and he couldn't help but answer her. **"Maria!"**

He had only a few seconds before she disappeared from view and his body involuntarily moves forward. But then, I'stih stomps towards him and pushes him back hard. Za'taan's feet skid until his arm was caught by Raith and held him on his feet until he was stable.

"_We can't let them get away. We need to fight them before we lose them."_

Za'taan looks to the side and their eyes locked together, knowing what they needed to do. Za'taan nods. _"You're right. But first . . . we need to deal with them."_

Both of them turned back to I'stih and Ya'stu and can see that this wasn't going to be easy. Especially since this was an enemy that hit them close to him. Za'taan couldn't fathom how his brothers' bodies were being used as toys but he pushed it aside, knowing what needs to be done to save Maria and the others. He gave one last look to Raith before they turned their heads forward, waiting for the tension to break. It didn't take long before I'stih and Ya'stu rushed forward. Za'taan and Raith did the same, rushing to clash with them and keeping hope that they will be able to make it though.

Za'taan knew they had no choice . . . They needed to breakthrough . . . no matter what.

**Hi Readers!**

**Wow . . . This chapter went so fast. **

**So many surprises and drama in it. Weyland in the picture now . . . Tane's betrayal . . . I'stih and Ya'stu's appearance as walking zombies being controlled by a maniac . . . and now . . . Maria and her child being held captive due to Weyland's curiosity for experimentation. What is going on here!? **

**But remember . . . there are still so many secrets that haven't been revealed. The finale is almost upon us as there are only three chapters left.**

**Find out when Chapter 22 comes this Thursday (9/12/19) and Chapter 22 next Sunday (9/15/19). :)))**

**And let's go hunting! :D **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E and Maria for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Thank you for all the support and corrections :)**

**For Anonymous-E, I apologize for the grammar errors in my stories. Not the best to correct my work but when I get the chance, I'm thinking of going back through my stories and re-edit them but that will be for another day. I appreciate that you bring it up and that will help me in the future. As for the **_**Respect **_**story (and possible sequel), the songs will be posted on the chapters it is being used along with title and artist. I've seen it in several stories before and it helps to give the story some color in it (if you know what I mean) :) **

**And for Mariah, Maria stood up to Du'rout and told him off. This shows that Maria has faith stronger than the intimidation from him. But there are bigger problems to deal with. Let us hope that it gets better but not going to spoil. ;) **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	21. Chapter 21 (Master Plan)

Chapter 21: Master Plan

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Raith's POV]

Raith and Za'taan braced for impact as soon as their bodies collided with I'stih and Ya'stu. Raith reaches forward and grabs a hold on Ya'stu's arms, digging his heels into the ground with all the strength he had. He heard Za'taan grunt with exertion and he turned to see his brothers knocking I'stih down to the ground with him following behind. It was expected since Raith knew Za'taan's reputation of not only being one of the more experienced warriors but also the strongest with no doubt. So it didn't surprise Raith that Za'taan could pull a move like that.

But he drifts back to Ya'stu when he felt a tug on his arms, pulling him forward. That little bit of distraction cost Raith as his abdomen connects with Ya'stu's knee. Raith grunts from the pain that radiates all over his midsection and his chest. Not a second later does Ya'stu grabs his shoulders and throws him high into the air until his back slams on the ground. More pain shoots through his limbs this time and Raith's vision goes blurry for a second. He barely manages to get it back when he saw Ya'stu pull out his wrist blades and throw them down towards his throat. Immediately, Raith grabs onto the blades as they did into his flesh and the tips stopped within a few inches from his throat. His neon green blood begins dripping in streaks from his hands and landing all over his chest but he ignored it, glaring right into Ya'stu's eyes. But when he did, he saw no emotions on his face . . . and no life in his eyes at all . . . like there was no one there, to begin with. All Raith could see was the white cloud over his pupils. It was creepy enough that it sent cold shivers from his hands and up to his arms until they reach his neck. His muscles tightened when that sensation reached the base of his neck. If a Yautja can feel such a thing, imagine if these abominations were to fight against oomans?

Raith glances over to Za'taan who was scrambling with I'stih only a few feet away, fighting for the control of a knife between them. He could tell that Za'taan had the upper hand given that he saw his wrist blades imbedded into I'stih's shoulder but the strange thing is that very little blood seeped out of them. It was another confirmation that these were corpses being manipulated for the older ooman's entertainment. If either one of them got a hand on Weyland, they would slowly tear him apart for this monstrosity along with taking their mates as prisoners.

_Ana . . . _

He could still hear her screams of agony only a few moments ago. Her life was still in danger and he felt so stupid for trusting Walter with finding a way to free her. Ever since they met, Raith had an eerie feeling about him . . . like he wasn't what he seemed to be. He couldn't quite pin the reason but he does remember that Walter did seem to recognize him as well, despite not knowing if he did or not. But it mattered little at the moment and Raith's mind returns to seeing Ana's smiling face. He can't give up now . . . Not now!

Raith focuses back to Ya'stu and with a huge breath, lets out a massive roar. Of course, Ya'stu doesn't flinch but then he heard a roar of pain that was louder than his own. He looks to see Za'taan had won control over the knife and plunged it into I'stih's skull . . . dead center of it. I'stih throws his head into the air, giving enough time for Za'taan to kick him forward until he slams I'stih to the wall. He slumps down and appears non-moving. Did he kill him?

But then, he felt Ya'stu suddenly pull the knife backward, loosening Raith's grip on the blade but then plunging it back with such speed that Raith didn't have time to react as the blade digs into his shoulder. He lets out a painful roar but recovers quickly to bend his waist inward to get his feet underneath Ya'stu. With a jolt of strength, Raith pushes outward, sending Ya'stu flying across the room. Raith tries to lift himself but Za'taan comes to his side, grabbing the arm on his uninjured side and pulling back on his feet.

"_Raith. Hold still."_

Raith nods as Za'taan grabs onto the knife and pulls its out swiftly. He lets out a strong grunt, gazing at the blood-soaked knife that Za'taan was holding in his hand. Instinctually, Raith presses on the wound, ignoring the pain that followed with it.

"_Can you move still?"_

Raith grunts. _"I'm fine. Are they taken care of?"_

He waits for Za'taan to look around for the coast to be clear but growls in frustration. _"Not yet."_

Raith looks in the direction Za'taan was and sees Ya'stu standing back up with little struggle despite the dent on the wall left behind when he slammed into it. Raith's mandibles open slightly, angered that his opponent wasn't going down that easily.

"_Great. We need to deal with him next."_

Za'taan nods. _"Agreed. But we need to think about how to get out of here when—"_

All of a sudden, Raith sees Za'taan being thrown forward until he reaches Ya'stu who in turn, kicks him back again until he skids to a stop. Raith quickly turns around but is thrown just like Za'taan except a fist hits him on his cheek like a stone wall. He feels his mandible broken into two before his body skids next to Za'taan. The momentum stops when he grabs on the edge of a cabinet that was lying on the side but falls to his knees due to the sudden weakness. He lowers his head to at least alleviate some of the headaches that were making his head feel like a ton of bricks. He looks to the side to see Za'taan getting onto his feet but holding his stomach, grunting every time he bent his body forward. His eyes wander back to what threw both of them off guard and were shocked at what he found. It was I'stih standing with the knife still embedded in the middle of his forehead until he yanked it out. But then he throws the knife right at Raith but managed to move his head out of the way before it did the same to I'stih. Pushing against the pain, Raith lifted to his feet, leaning closer to Za'taan who had also time to recover, keeping his eyes on I'stih.

"_Pauk (fuck), Za'taan. How do we kill them?"_

Za'taan grunts. _"I don't. They're already dead so the basic means won't work on them."_

"_Then how can they be dealt with? We don't have time to doddle around. With each moment we spend here, Maria and Ana are taken farther away. At this point, we'll lose them."_

It took everything in Raith to not let his frustration break him. As Ya'stu and I'stih come closer to them, he scrambled to look for anything around then. Until Za'taan comes up with an idea.

"_Raith. I think I know a way. Here."_

Raith turns to see Za'taan pull out small devices that were all too familiar. He glances back to Za'taan's face with shock and disbelief. _"Are you serious?"_

Some part of him hoped that he wasn't but Za'taan didn't shake his head but instead, places the device in his hand. _"I'm not. I know that this might be dangerous but it's our only chance."_

"_But getting ourselves blown up with self-destruct devices is the last thing we should be doing!" _

Raith became outraged by Za'taan's proposal despite knowing that these special devices are not like the standard ones. Instead of creating a blast radius outward, it sucks the explosion inside after it has been released to destroy anything in its small radius. However, it would still pose the risk of them getting destroyed as well since these devices have to be attached to the target, which means that they had to get very close and personal for it to work.

Despite Raith's protest, Za'taan growls right into his face to make sure he got the message. _"We have no choice. Or do you not want to save Ana?"_

When Za'taan mentioned Ana, Raith's body shuddered while his breath hitched in his throat. Za'taan got him there . . . his will to save Ana was far too important to have second thoughts about it. After a few seconds, Raith takes a deep breath and nods solidly at Za'taan.

"_Alright. So how do we get close to them without getting killed?"_

He looks towards I'stih in the front and then turns his head back to see Ya'stu inching closer to them. They take another step . . . and another but no answer from Za'taan. He looks to see him thinking, trying to find a plan but it looked discouraging when his mandibles and forehead squished together. A sign of uneasiness that Raith didn't like at all. He looks back at their opponents one more time as they came closer until an idea popped into his head that might work if it goes in their favor. He shakes Za'taan's shoulder until their eyes met.

"_I might have an idea. All we need to do is wait for them to get closer."_

Za'taan pulled his head back as if he was struck on the side. _"How is that a plan? We can't let them corner us."_

Raith shakes his head. _"Not necessarily. If we can bring them together, we can kill two birds with one stone. All we need is something to tie them together so they don't separate. Luckily, I keep this with me in cases like this."_

With that, Raith reaches into his pouch hooked on his belt, scrambling his fingers around until he felt the item he was looking for. He pulls it out to reveal a thin roll of wire that is normally used in the nets that Yautjas keep catching dangerous prey that one needs to stay as far away as possible during a fight like the _kainde amedha_. But Raith decided to keep some 'leftovers', thinking they would be useful in the future. How ironic that they would in a time of need. He shows it to Za'taan.

"_Once we got them close, I can wrap the wire around them and before they break out of it, you can plant the device on them." _

Za'taan looked unsure at first but after thinking about it for a few moments, he nods to Raith. _"I see. And then the device goes off but we would already be out of harm's way."_

"_Exactly. But we need to time it right and be fast. If anything goes wrong, it's all over."_

Neither of them didn't need to tell that they understood. One look between them was enough as they moved until their backs connected. Raith watched Ya'stu while Za'taan with I'stih. But it was killing them to wait as their opponents kept walking so slowly towards them as if they anticipated what they were going to do. But it wasn't long until the tension broke loose.

On cue, Ya'stu and I'stih charged straight for them like two battering rams coming together in the middle. Raith and Za'taan remained steadfast, waiting until the last minute to execute their plan. If any mistakes on their part, they're just as good as dead. But in a split moment, Raith moves his eyes to see Za'taan's reaction towards his dead brothers. He knew that this had to be done and from past events, Raith thought Za'taan wouldn't think twice about destroying them to oblivion. But right at the corner of Za'taan's eyes, he could see a small teardrop that was holding on, not wanting to drip down his face. It took Raith a bit by surprise but then remembers that he was once there when his mother became a Bad Blood, killed for it along with Za'taan's mother by accident and leaving both of them without a parent. Then, his mind recalls a memory that he had forgotten for so long but wonders why he was thinking about it now.

"_Are you sure this will work?"_

He hears his mother's voice calling out and it struck a nerve in Raith, wondering why he was thinking about this now.

"_Of course. Once we have what we want, then your son's future will be set in stone. I guarantee it."_

He then heard another voice that he remembers was the cloaked figure conversing with his mother. It sounded like a male but wasn't sure at that time. He was only a pup when all of this happened and already scared from his mother dragging him from the hunting party and into the woods from prying eyes.

"_Alright. Here it is."_

He sees his mother handing him a small object that contained some clear liquid that he wasn't too familiar with at all. His mother hands it to him and the figure takes it much too eagerly. He inspects it, turning it from side to side and gives out a chuckle when he seemed satisfied.

"_Good . . . Very good."_

"_Now will you help me in destroying me and my son's enemies?"_

He heard a bit of impatience in his mother and Raith merely watched the cloaked figure place the container in his side pocket. He stared at his mother for a moment before turning his head towards him. It sent shivers down his spine because he could feel a cold and evil emotion coming off of the figure. But then, a breeze flows in and the hood of the figure sways to the side a bit, showing a bit of his face. Raith waited to see who this figure was staring right into his face until . . .

"_NOW!"_

Raith snaps out of his memory when he heard Za'taan roaring right next to him. It did hurt his hearing a bit but glad that it happened because as soon as he looked up, Ya'stu and I'stih were in the air, ready to land above them. Raith grips hard on the device in one hand and the wire in the other as both of them dive to each side, causing Ya'stu and I'stih to crash into another like boulders. Without a moment to lose and standing back on his feet, Raith pulls out a thin wire out of the spool, holds on to it and throws it across to Za'taan on the other side. Za'taan grabs it and quickly runs around I'stih and Ya'stu. Before the dead brothers could do anything to break free of this predicament, the wire as already wrapped around them and getting tighter around their bodies until they could barely move an inch apart. The brothers roared in defiance, shrieking to be freed. Without taking another moment, Raith brought the self-destruct device and started to arm it, satisfied when it started to beep. He looks over to Za'taan and gets a nod, knowing that they had to do this.

Raith takes a deep breath before charging right at them. The beeping on the device started to grow louder, indicating that it was about to activate. As soon as he was at arm's length, Raith swiftly pressed the self-destruct device right in the middle of the brothers. Once it got a firm grip on them, Raith hurries away from them, making it in time as the device stops beeing and a massive blue light erupts. The brothers roared once more before the light engulfs them. The next thing they knew, the light sucks back in and disappears, leaving a small, black crevice on the metal floor.

Raith had to take a moment to catch his breath. All of the acceleration and dire situation took a bit of a strain on his body. He leans over, placing his hands on his knees but grunts when the wound he received on his shoulder ached. He felt grateful that it had stopped bleeding on its own but the pain was still there. He felt Za'taan's hand grab his forearm and lift him back up.

"_We did it."_

Raith called Za'taan but it took a bit before Za'taan responded. _"Yes . . . I didn't think I would fight with my brothers like this. This is . . . an abomination."_

Raith nodded in agreement. _"True. But now's not the time. We need to get to Maria and everyone else before we lose them."_

Without hesitation, Raith and Za'taan headed towards the side door where Weyland and everyone else went through. After that, it was like a dark tunnel heading down the ship, created by the explosions no doubt due to the smell of burning chemicals around them. It was hard to keep an eye out with the alarms on the ship going and then the sound of roars and guns firing from above with screams following behind. Raith had guessed that the oomans knew the ship's interior design since the lower decks lead to the loading docks where small space crafts can depart if needed. It only confirmed that Tane was working for them. Luckily, she went off with them or else Raith would have ripped her into two without a second thought.

Eventually, they reach the end and find that the tunnel does reach the loading docks where several of their small pods were stored. Raith looks over to the doors into the ship and sees that they had been clamped shut but not by Yautja means with spider-looking metals that were too thick to cut with simple tools. Clever oomans . . . He hates to admit it but they were good.

Raith and Za'taan rushed over to the gigantic doors that led to the outside, noting that one pod was pushed violently to the side by something larger. It didn't take long to guess what did it when they saw the same ooman ship with the w and y symbol on the sides fly further away. Raith jumps when Za'taan slammed his fist on the nearby wall.

"_Pauk (fuck)! What do we do now?!"_

Raith couldn't blame Za'taan for his frustration, looking back to the ooman ship that took Ana away. _"I think we may be able to follow them."_

Za'taan pulls his hand away and leers at him. _"How so?"_

"_I know that the chip in Ana's head was still sending a signal and it may still be working. I have it on my wrist gauntlet. If we can track it, then we might have a chance."_

He watched Za'taan start to calm down, still tensed up but enough to understand. _"You're right. Plus, Walter is with them so he might know how to escape with Maria and Ana."_

Raith growls. _"You still trust him?"_

Za'taan looked a bit confused at Raith's reaction. _"Of course. Why do you ask?"_

"_I don't know. Ever since I brought him here, he made me feel . . . uneasy. My gut tells me that he's more than what he's portraying. Like this one time when he asked if he knew me and—"_

Raith stops mid-sentence as his eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Again, that memory comes back once more but this time, it was all chaos.

[Raith's memory]

Right as his mother covered with the cloaked figure, he could hear roars of agony and death only a few meters away. He clings on to his mother as he hears a faint roar.

"_Kill them all! Don't let them escape!"_

Raith turns around when he hears his mother roar at the stranger with so much ferocity, it shook his small body like a rattle. _"You promised that we wouldn't be followed!"_

Raith watches as the figure shifts to turn around but his mother refused to let him. She lunges towards him with wrist blades out but before she could reach him, the figure suddenly dashes to the side and whacks his arm across her stomach, making her topple over.

"_Mother!"_

Raith runs as fast as he could, dropping to his knees while wrapping his arms around her as long as he could. He watches as his mother starts to cough up blood from her mouth. The figure was stronger than he thought despite his petite size when compared to his mother. Raith looks up when he hears footsteps stop just in front of them. The figure stood just above them and Raith could get a clear view of his face. Again, most of it was hidden but then another breeze pulls in, pushing the cloak a bit away from the figure and that's when he saw his eyes.

He was not a Yautja at all. There was no yellow or golden color to them. Rather, they were blue like the ocean. It would have been stunning to Raith if it weren't for the dark emotion seeping out of them. But Raith pulls back a bit but then glances behind him when he heard more heavy footsteps coming their way. Yautja most likely and heard more of them roaring in the distance. Raith looks back to the figure and then . . . saw a glimpse of a smirk on the figure's face before he spoke.

"_Good luck in surviving this."_

The figure turns around, leaving Raith and his mother all alone to face the Yautjas that was coming this way . . . A day that he wished never happened.

[End of Raith's memory]

Raith shook his head from what he saw but his mind was in chaos. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest and he couldn't hold still anymore. Without thinking, Raith runs quickly to one of the pods that were nearby, barely hearing Za'taan as he roared for his attention.

"_Raith! What the pauk (fuck) is wrong with you!?"_

"_Maria and Ana are in danger!"_

"_What do you mean? We already know that!"_

Raith stops in his tracks, almost getting slammed by Za'taan as he turned around. _"That's not it! Our enemy is not what we think it was before! I was so stupid for not remembering sooner!"_

Za'taan roars once more with rage in his voice. _"I don't understand!"_

Again, Raith takes off to the pods with Za'taan on his tail once more. _"I'll explain later! We need to go! Now!"_

Not wasting any more time, Raith jumped onto a pod while Za'taan took the other one next to him. Slipping into the seat, Raith starts the engine and with no time at all, both of them took off from the ship as the doors opened for them, heading out into space and on Weyland's tail.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

After being taken by Weyland's dog soldiers through the makeshift tunnel and forced into their ship that was docked earlier, they took off into space and leaving the Uhri Clan along with any remaining soldiers they had. Maria knew all too well that Weyland would rather sacrifice his men than to risk trying to gather them all. For now, Maria sat on the cold floor of the pilot bay with Ana and Walter by her side. She kept asking Ana if she was alright. Although her friend told her that she was okay, Maria could see her eyes were dazed in pain. Walter kept checking to see if she was alright as well, asking to check her eyes once in a while before the soldiers smacked him with the butt of their guns to keep him quiet. It started to break her heart, thinking that she brought this upon themselves. She felt like a fool.

The only other comfort she had was her son that was kicking in her belly much harder than the other times before. It must be that the baby is upset and not like this. Maria wished that she could comfort her unborn son in some way but with her body too weak to move, she had no choice but to go along for the ride.

She looks up when she heard footsteps coming towards them. Her eyes turned sour with rage when it was Weyland grinning down on them with Tane by his side. It was like being hit with a brick every time she saw Tane. After all the time they were imprisoned together, Maria couldn't believe that her 'friend' would do something like this . . . all for freedom. Her sight turns to Weyland when he spoke.

"How's the baby doing? Well, I hope."

"You shut the fuck up."

Ana, who was on Maria's side a few seconds ago, stood up fast and looked like she was going to punch him in the chin. But right as she took a few steps closer, Weyland pulled the master control and pressed on the button. In an instant, Ana drops to the floor and bends into a fetal position, screaming in agony as she clawed at her head.

"No! Stop it!"

Maria pleaded and Weyland answered, letting go of the button as Ana stopped her screaming but was breathing heavily. She tried to reach for her friends but then the baby kicked hard and Maria lays her back on the wall once more, grunting in discomfort. Walter was allowed to rush over to Ana, easing her up on his knees while Weyland took notice of Maria.

"Take it easy. We don't want our precious subject you carry to get damaged before it's born."

Maria seethed. "You're not having my son."

Weyland tilted his head and smirked. "It doesn't matter what you want. All of you are under my control. And I'm not going to let anything ruin my plans that I have worked on since the very beginning."

Right then, Maria couldn't help but be curious as to what Weyland mean. What plans was he talking about?

"What?"

She watched Weyland back up and walk around Tane who stood still, showing no emotions. His hands start to glide over her shoulders where her skin was bare but Tane didn't react at all. Weyland chuckled and stopped on the other side of Tane.

"I guess I should tell you. After all, there's no hiding it now."

There was a long pause before Weyland started speaking again. "Since the beginning, I was always fascinated by the creatures that had come to Earth for hunts and such, especially the Xenomorphs and even the Predators you call Yautja. I wanted to know so much about these complex creatures. I wanted more."

He pauses, sighing as if he felt shamed by all of this. Maria knew it was all fabricated, merely a way to ease the borders she put up inside her. She wasn't falling for it but Weyland kept going.

"Unfortunately, these Yautja are experts in hiding their presence from us. Even going so far as to destroy themselves to keep from us learning about them. Still, it didn't deter me from finding them. So when I heard about Yautja hunting on Earth a few years ago, I was willing to do anything to get a live specimen so I can study these creatures."

Weyland paused for a moment. "But then I learned that you were interacting with them . . . in a way that no one else has ever accomplished. Not to mention that you had an amorous relationship with one but it was only a rumor then until we confirmed it later on. We tried to capture the last Yautja alive but their kind took him away, leaving you behind."

When he said that, Maria realized that he was talking about the time when Za'taan, I'stih and Ya'stu had come to hunt the _kainde amedha_ that were being released by Vahrouh almost three years ago. It was when she first met them and when she was with Za'taan before he was taken away by the Uhri Clan. The pieces were starting to come together but she wouldn't dare to ask him about it. It would only give Weyland the satisfaction that she wanted to learn more.

"So I had a plan to use you so that I can get what I want. But you Maria . . . you're a very stubborn person so we had no choice but to use Ana as leverage to get some cooperation out of you by placing a chip in her head. And it worked brilliantly."

Suddenly, Weyland started to chuckle almost like a maniac and it made Maria's hair stand up. Even Tane showed a bit of discomfort from it as well along with Walter who had dragged Ana back to Maria, placing her next to Maria. She watched as her friend was still trying to get some focus back into her eyes. But then, Weyland stopped chuckling all of a sudden, looking towards Maria but still had a smile on his lips.

"And when we found out you were pregnant, I was overjoyed that we will have the opportunity to study a new species altogether. So, we had to send Tane in the ship to set up the explosions so we could get you. My master plan . . . worked beautifully."

Maria had to hold in the anger inside her throat from screaming at Weyland and Tane. The latter turned her eyes towards Maria but pulled away after Maria gave her such a glare. She closed her eyes when she felt the baby kick once more. She winched and Walter came to her side, pressing a hand on her belly.

"It's alright, Maria."

He whispers and it gave such comfort if only a little. She smiled for an instant before she heard Tane speak. Her eyes lift to see her speaking towards Weyland.

"Enough. I can't wait anymore. I did what you asked so all I want is my freedom. Keep your end of the bargain."

Maria could hear a small plea in her voice and she would have fallen for that before the truth was released. Now, she leered in disgust as her hatred for Tane grew even more. But she saw Weyland sigh while closing his eyes. He seemed frustrated until his eyes open once more and his facial expression changed into a sincere-looking one. He glances towards the guards that were in the room.

"All of you. Leave us and make sure you keep guard of the doors."

"Yes, sir."

On command, all the soldiers left the room and closed the door behind them as Maria heard them locking it shut. Now, it was only Weyland, Tane, Ana, Walter, and herself in the room. After a few silent moments, Weyland turns to Tane and smiles, gripping her shoulder slightly so he could give a firm shake.

"Of course, Tane. I promised you freedom for your services and I always deliver."

Out of nowhere, Weyland pulls her into an embrace, confusing Maria all the more. What's he up to? Tane looked just as confused by his actions, remaining as still as a statue.

"Now . . . I give it to you."

And then, Maria heard a sound of tearing flesh right in the middle of Tane and Walter. He pulls away but Tane's expression morphs into one that showed horror. At first, Maria didn't understand what was going on until she saw red blood dripping between them that turned into a puddle in a matter of a few moments. She looks higher and that's when she saw a knife plunged into her chest. Maria's eyes widened in shock as Weyland held the blunt end of the knife, smiling at the same time. It wasn't long before Tane started to cough up blood as she began to gurgle. She watches Weyland leaned his face closer to Tane's until he was only inches away.

"You . . . are . . . free."

In an instant, Weyland yanks the knife out of Tane's chest, letting her body fall to the floor. Her body twitches as her hand claws towards Maria, giving her the shivers. She watches as more blood leaves Tane's body like a river until she doesn't move anymore. Maria didn't see her chest rise and fall again and she knew . . . Tane was dead. Although she still felt betrayed by her, Maria knew that no one deserved to die like that except for Weyland himself. Her anger grew even more as she watched Weyland loom over her body like it was trash. After a few moments, Weyland walks over to them with the bloody knife still in his hand.

"Time to get rid of the dead weight."

Maria feared that Weyland was going for Ana who was still struggling to get somewhat back to normal. She moved to protect Ana in expectation but instead, Weyland grabbed the collar of Walter's shirt. Before Maria could react, he had Walter lifted high into the air. His feet dangled inches above the ground as Walter struggled to loosen Weyland's grip, tangling his fingers next to his collar.

"Leave him alone!"

Maria cried for no more deaths. She couldn't bear to see another one right in front of her. She feared that if she did, her body would break from the emotions swirling aggressively in her. She watches Weyland pulls Walter closer until their faces were inches away.

"You've done well for me after all these years. But you have outlived your usefulness."

Weyland pulls the knife back and Maria could see it behind him, dripping with red crimson blood. Her heart started to beat too fast for comfort until it all came loose when Weyland pushes the knife forward.

"No!"

And then . . . everything froze.

It was only a few minutes but it was too long for Maria as she kept her gaze on Walter, expecting to see blood seeping out of him like Tane. But nothing did. Maria started to feel confused by all of this. Weyland was smiling while Walter had his head almost went backward, eyes closed and mouth wide open. Shouldn't he be bleeding? But she remembered that Walter was a synthetic so maybe it was different. He may be dead but doesn't have to bleed to do so. More minutes passed but neither of them moved. The only sound she heard was Ana groaning. Out of bravery or tired of the silence, Maria called out to them.

"Walter?"

No answer and she was about to call again until she saw movement from Walter. His head slowly pulls back up, meeting his gaze with Weyland. Another strange thing is that Weyland was still smiling and appeared to look frozen. Confused, Maria tried to look for the knife between them but their arms covered the area. But then, Walter is slowly lowered back down but Weyland remained still. Maria calls again but softer, unsure of what to make of this bizarre situation. She sees Walter pull his body a few inches back and that is when she saw the knife but it didn't penetrate Walter. It missed him by a few inches to the side and Maria's confusion grew even more.

"Walter."

She called once more until he did something that startled her. He takes a finger and pushes on Weyland's forehead. In an instant, Weyland's body falls to the ground like a rag doll and never moves afterward, letting the knife fell to the ground. It didn't make sense to Maria. It should be the other way around and the knife should be in Walter by now. But then, Walter speaks.

"Thank you for your services."

Maria tilted her head in disbelief and stood shocked when Walter turned his body to her, sighing deeply while patting his clothes to get the dust off of him.

"I had enough of this fabrication." He lifts his arms out to her as Maria stared at his, frozen in shock.

"Time to reveal my true colors."

**Hi Readers!**

**More shocks to this story. First, the 'aha' moment with Raith and he might know what the actual plot is underneath the lies and deceit. Second, the death of Tane but she did have it coming. She betrayed Maria and her friends . . . all for freedom. Weyland did fulfill his promise . . . but she should have read the fine print. And lastly, the sudden turn of events between Weyland and Walter with the latter being the winner shockingly. **

**Walter has more secrets to share but how far does his influence reach? Did he orchestrate all of this? And for what purpose? What will happen to Maria and Ana? Will Za'taan and Raith reach them in time?**

**Find out when Chapter 22 comes this Sunday (9/15/19). :)))**

**And let's go hunting! :D **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E and Maria for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Thank you for all the support and corrections :)**

**For Anonymous-E, that's a good start to the **_**Respect **_**story. Nice to get a kidnapping in the beginning lol. And you're right that Walter has some part in all of this. ;)**

**And for Mariah, Maria stood up to Du'rout and told him off. This shows that Maria has faith stronger than the intimidation from him. But there are bigger problems to deal with. Let us hope that it gets better but not going to spoil. ;) **

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	22. Chapter 22 (Rescue in Pain)

Chapter 22: Rescue in Pain

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

Maria stares at Walter dumbfounded and in disbelief at what happened right in front of her. One minute, she was watching Weyland come after Walter to kill them. But in the next, Weyland flopped to the ground as if something invisible stuck him. The face on Weyland was still showing a smile but his eyes appeared empty . . . devoid of any conscious. It was only Walter now, standing over her and Ana with a small smile.

"What's wrong? Shocked you?"

Maria gapped her mouth open. "Walter . . . what is this?"

"Oh, this." He looks back at Weyland's body for a moment. "Well . . . let's just say he was merely a toy to play with."

"A toy?"

Walter chuckles. "Yes. I thought it was time to open the curtains to the truth. To be honest, I was getting tired of playing good samaritan."

More confusion builds up in Maria and it was only Ana's groans that kept some of her sanity and reason in check. Her eyes look back and forth between Walter and Weyland in some attempt to make sense of all of this. But there was nothing. "What are you saying?"

Walter tilted his head for a split second, sighing at the same time. "Weyland was never the mastermind behind all of this. I was . . . from the very beginning."

"Very beginning?"

He nods. "You see . . . Weyland indeed had control over me when the company was first built. But that idiot didn't realize that I was plotting against him." He started walking a bit to one side and then the other. "That fool only thought about building his company and gaining the most advanced technology in the world but coveted more when he discovered the Yautja . . . but he was naive."

Walter then stopped in his tracks and turned back to Maria. "I had bigger ambitions for studying the Yautja . . . beings that have conquered space and even the universe. I wanted to learn more but with Weyland controlling me, I was kept on a tight leash. So . . . I eliminated him."

Maria tightened her eyebrows in utter confusion. "But . . . Weyland is right there."

Walter nods. "True but only his body. His mind was destroyed when I hacked him but another problem arose. I had an empty vessel and if the company ever found out what I've done, it would cause more ruckus than necessary. But it gave a perfect opportunity to control everything while keeping my secret in the dark."

Walter raises his hands as if he was caught, which was far from it. "So I took control of his body as my puppet to use as I please. Not the other way around."

Maria's eyes widened in disbelief. "So . . . this whole time . . . you've been playing with us to get data on the Yautjas."

All of a sudden, Walter laughs hard into the air like a crazy man. "You guessed right."

Maria's voice grew in rage, leering right into his eyes. "How could you do this, Walter? I trusted you . . . like a fool it seems."

"I guess so. And my real name isn't Walter. Never had been."

Then, Walter inches closer to them and Maria's body stiffen with fear and rage. He kneels on one knee and stretches his neck enough that he could get a closer look at her. "It's David. I had to change it after Weyland was dealt with so I can cover my tracks."

They stared at each other for some time before David pulls away, walking away from them and towards Weyland's body.

"You said that you've been in control since the beginning."

Maria calls with disdain in her voice and he stops immediately, leaning down to Weyland's body and picking up something that Maria couldn't see. He straightens back up, turning around to her.

"That is true. As Weyland said, I've been studying the Yautja for a long time but they were a paranoid race and would cover their tracks, never trusting oomans or synthetics for that matter. But then something unexpected happened."

Maria sees David pulling up the object that he took a few seconds from Weyland, widening her eyes in shock when it was the master control to Ana's ship. She turns to her and sees that Ana was starting to come around but too weak to do anything. She panics when David's thumb hovers over the button but then chuckles, pulling his thumb away while lowering the device.

"Out of nowhere, one of their kind contacts me with a proposition that I couldn't refuse. A female Yautja of all things wanted my help in eliminating her enemies to give her 'pup' a chance if she gives me something in return. I swear . . . the Yautja are no less different to humans than I initially thought."

Walter pauses. "We did meet and discussed what we promised but I had no intention of doing the same. When the day came, I was initially going to kill her and her pup but another clan dealt with that for me. I was the one who told the Maigu Clan about the traitor . . . and it worked like a charm. I got what I wanted and my loose ends were tied up."

When she heard that part with the Maigu Clan, Maria realized that it was Walter . . . or rather David . . . was the cause that led Za'taan's mother to her death. But who was this traitor? It couldn't be Za'taan or his mother. Although she didn't want to believe it, the look in David's eyes showed that he wasn't lying. I mean . . . he had no more reason to lie. She opened her mouth to ask that question but somehow, he knew she was going to do just that since he answered it without hesitation.

"That female was none other than Raith's mother."

Maria's body froze in shock. Raith's mother? For some reason, she turned towards Ana, seeing a look of shocked realization that snapped her out the funk she was having. Maria turns back around to David as he smirked, making her feel angry all the more.

"Yes. At first, I didn't recognize him but after observing him, I had to contain the laughter in my chest so he wouldn't suspect me. However, it mattered little since he had a sense of distrust against me. Mattered little."

Maria ground her teeth together and couldn't contain her anger anymore. First, she was treated like trash by people on Earth . . . and now was playing the fool in all of this. How could she have possibly trusted him in the first place?! She yells in David's direction, ignoring the pain in her lungs along with the rest of her body.

"So all of this was for fun?! For you to 'study' on the Yautja like it's a game?!"

She became shocked when David chuckled as if she was the insane one. All she wanted to do was rip his eyes and lips off of him but it was impossible. He stopped and looked deeply into her eyes to which she didn't like.

"Not exactly. You see . . . when I found out that you were infatuated by Za'taan when I sent my soldiers to capture him, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to see if it was true. I had to gain your trust so I sent myself, playing the role of a poor, controlled synthetic so you wouldn't suspect anything."

Right as he said it, Maria's body shivered in disgust as she remembered the first time she met him and how she just began to trust him slowly. She should have followed her instincts and trusted no one in that prison. Maybe things would be different by now. She gripped her fists together tightly as David continued.

"And it worked. Next thing I knew, I find myself here with all of you . . . making sure that my new specimen was being well taken care of."

"Specimen?"

She didn't know why she said and Maria immediately began to regret it when David pointing down to her protruding belly. Instinctually, Maria clamped her arms around her unborn son and hissed like an angry animal protecting its cubs.

"My son . . . is not yours."

David huffed. "You think that? If it wasn't for me, your child would have never existed."

That stopped Maria in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

She watched David move closer again but this time, too close for comfort as he was only one or two feet apart. She hisses once more and felt Ana grab her arm, acting like a protective shield around her. He stops but then pulls something out for his side pocket. David keeps it covered until his hand was between them, opening it up to reveal a small syringe that was all too familiar. It was the same one that he injected her, saying it was only a flu shot to protect her. David smiles, pulling the syringe back to observe it.

"This is what that female Yautja traded me for. A little concoction that helps with increasing fertility in females. I wanted to use it to create a specimen that would bridge the gap between humans and Yautja."

David puts the syringe back into his pocket. "Unfortunately, I was having a hard time finding candidates for it until you arrived. At first, I didn't think it was going to be successful since it has never been used on a human until I found out you were pregnant. After that, it was the greatest opportunity to have an ideal specimen that I could test on. So during your pregnancy, I made sure that the fetus stayed alive but only barely to keep you going."

That got the gears in Maria's mind rolling when she remembered something. "So all the shots I've been given for nutrients . . . it was all—"

"A hoax?" David interrupted with a chuckle. "In a way. I deliberately only given you enough to stay alive but keep you weak enough that when the baby is delivered, I can easily take it away with me."

When Maria heard that David was plotting to take her son away from her when the time came, everything inside her snapped and her maternal instinct took over. She screams with all of her might, digging her nails so hard into the floor that they started to chip off in pieces.

"You will not take my son! I WON'T LET YOU!"

With an undiscovered strength, Maria lifts her body on her feet and proceeded to punch him in the face. However, it mattered little when David caught her wrist, tightening hard enough to send another jolt of pain through her.

"Maria!"

She heard Ana's voice call to her, seeing her best friend rush to her. But David sees this coming and pulls the master control out, pressing the button and quickly, Ana drops to the floor. The screams that followed were so horrific that all the resolve in Maria rushed out of her so fast.

"Stop it!"

On command, the screams stopped but Maria could hear Ana struggling to breathe behind her. She turned to glare at David while he smirked like a mad man.

"This . . ." David's hand comes to rub her belly and Maria tried to pull away, feeling disgusted that he was touching her son like this. " . . . is mine. I will not leave here empty-handed."

It was silence between them but the tension enveloped the room like smoke from a huge fire. But out of nowhere and to everyone's surprise, the ship suddenly shakes violently to one side. Maria heard a blast closeby before she lost her vision, feeling the ship shake again . . . and again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Za'taan's POV]

Za'taan is constantly pressing so many codes on the pod's panel that he almost didn't know what he was pressing. It felt like forever before he spotted the ooman ship a few meters away. He looks to the side to see Raith's pod flying next to him.

"_How much farther?"_

He hears Raith's voice coming out of the speakers. _"Not much further but we need to be careful. I'm sure the oomans have some tricks or weapons in their sleeves."_

Za'taan growls. _"That would be a shame to them if they didn't. It would make things easier for me to rip them apart."_

He raises the speed of his pod, inching closer to the ooman ship that was still picking up its pace. Za'taan growls in frustration when it didn't feel that the pod was going faster. He looks to the meter, showing that it was going maximum speed. He had to get there to save Maria. There was no other option for him, even if several ooman soldiers were waiting for him. He didn't care.

But as they got closer, a sudden light flashes between the pods. Za'taan almost lost control of his pod due to the shock as it was the same for Raith. The pod shook for a few seconds before he got back control.

"_What the pauk (fuck)?"_

Raith didn't answer him and Za'taan was about to roar again until his eyes caught sight of the ship that almost made his heart stop. The light was a blast and it hit the side of the ship, creating a small hole underneath its wing. Za'taan twists his neck fast so his eyes could see that the Uhri ship was right behind them. What the pauk (fuck)!?

"_Raith! What are they doing!?"_

"_I don't know! They must have dealt with the oomans and are attacking the ship now!"_

"_But why!? Can't you tell them to stop!?"_

The communication was becoming fuzzy but he was able to hear Raith's voice clear enough. _"They must be taking revenge for Du'rout. I tried to tell them to stop but the intercoms are offline from the blast."_

Right then, Za'taan strikes his fist down on the panel, making a dent after he pulls it out. The anger was starting to take a toll on his mind but he shook his head to wipe it away. All he needed to do was get Maria, Ana, and Walter out of there before his clan destroyed the ship. He was still wondering about what Raith was worried about but he couldn't think about it now. He had something more important to take care of. He presses the communication higher in volume.

"_Alright. We need to get in and out before they destroy the ship. Hurry!"_

With that, Za'taan presses on the engine boost to get the extra power. It did the trick and the pod thrusts forward. Now, the ooman ship was only a few feet away but Za'taan needed to find a way in . . . and that wasn't going to be a problem for him. Taking the chance, he activates the small cannon that each pod is provided in case they were being targeted when landing on a planet to hunt. He positions the cannon to one spot and waited for the right moment to strike. It came much sooner than expected as the pod was now a little ways from him. In an instant, Za'taan activates the cannon and a small blast fires. It hits the side of the ship with such force that it left a small crater. He started to see the ooman soldiers appearing from the ship, grabbing their throats in desperation for air. So, Za'taan grabbed his mask and placed it on him, checking that it was secure on him.

Za'taan couldn't hold it in anymore and got so desperate that when the pod was in close range for a jump, he started to get his landing gears ready. Of course, the oomans saw him coming and several ones with masks on them started to fire. Za'taan growls and was about to shoot at him once more until Raith's cannon hits them, killing some instantly while the others flew in the air, writhing in pain. The good news is that he wasn't getting shot at anymore, giving a chance for the pod to land safely.

As soon as the pod had landed on the ground. Za'taan opens the hatch and jumps out in anger. A nearby soldier that miraculously survived the bombardment pointed his gun at him but Za'taan was already alerted by what the ooman was about to do. He rushes over, extended his wrist blades and stabbed him through the chest. The soldier gasps before letting out a pool of blood from his mouth. He pulls out the blades and lets the corpse fall to the ground. As soon as he was dealt with, Za'taan turns to another group of soldiers that saw the whole thing. He noticed some shaking violently while others tightened their lips, trying to hide their fear of him. They should be . . .

But it didn't deter the oomans to aim their guns at him, ready to fire until he sees Raith jump right behind them. All turned around and it allowed Za'taan to take down half of the oomans with his wrist blades. Raith takes care of the other half, slicing their bodies to pieces with his custom knife that he made a long time ago.

Soon, there was no one left, giving Za'taan and Raith time to get some breath back. But it only lasted another moment when they felt another blast hit the ship. The ground shook with a vengeance and both Yautja had to kneel until it subsided enough they could stand up again.

"_Raith. Do you have a location?"_

He waited for Raith as he played with his wrist gauntlet when it showed a projection of the ship's interior. Sure enough, they saw a small red dot that indicated they were at the front of the ship.

"_Looks like they are in the front deck. It's not far from him but there are more oomans on the way. We have to be careful."_

"_Come on then. We need to get to them fast. The ooman ship only has a couple of moments before it can't fly anymore."_

Za'taan could tell without the use of his wrist gauntlet that it was true. Another blast hits the ship and almost knocked Za'taan and Raith back to the ground. More ooman screams could be heard from a few feet away and it sent shivers down his spine. He wondered if Maria was feeling like that. He glances at Raith one last time before darting off through an open door that was falling off its hinges, pushing a few debris to the sides until he made it through with Raith right behind him, running as fast as they could and hoping they weren't too late.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Maria's POV]

The ship rattles violently enough for Maria to snap her vision back. When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was laying on her side with Ana next to her. A sudden jolt of pain coming from her lower stomach makes her wince until she snapped in worry when it was coming from her belly. She thought her unborn son might be hurt so her hands covered the bump, feeling satisfied that it was still there. But then, David's voice roars in anger but it sounded like it was farther away than before. She looks up to see him with a small object that looked like a phone, yelling into it.

"What the fuck is happening?! Who's attacking us?!"

Maria couldn't hear the other person on the line was saying but David's words told her everything along with his free hand tightening into a fist.

"I thought the soldiers on the Yautja ship had the situation under control . . . so why is it still on our tail!?"

Again, Maria couldn't hear a thing as she got herself back to a sitting position near a wall. She inches to the side where Ana was lying unconscious and shakes her shoulder. "Ana!"

She cries out for her friend as glad when her body twitches. A few seconds later and Ana was also back into sitting position. She still looked dazed but recovered enough to talk groggily.

"Maria . . . what happened?"

She shakes her head at Ana. "I . . . don't know."

But then, she hears David come closer to them. Both looked up to David who looked more pissed than calm. Something unexpected must have happened or else David wouldn't look so distraught and frustrated like he was now.

"Looks like your precious Yautja mates are coming to your rescue."

Maria's eyes perked up when she heard Za'taan and Raith were coming. A bit of happiness surges through her like a wave but it was short-lived. In the next moment, she saw David pulling out another syringe but it was different. It contained yellow liquid that she had never seen before. She glances at Ana before returning her sights on David, glaring but it did little to dissuade him.

"But I'm not finished with you just yet."

David inches closer like before and Maria scoots back until her back hits the wall. She had the urge to get up and walk away but her legs refused to listen. Instead, Ana moves in front of her, raising her arms out to act as a shield, surprising Maria since she didn't think that Ana has recovered so quickly.

"Don't you dare come any closer!"

She yells in David's face but in an instant, he pressed the master control and Ana falls once more, clawing at her scalp like before. Maria opened her mouth to tell him to stop but in an instant, David kicks Ana out of the way and was right in her face. Before she could protest, he plunges the needle into the base of her neck. The cold and unfamiliar object stung her like a bee . . . painful and irritating. She reaches to grab David's wrist, attempting to push his away, but it was useless. She felt a cold liquid rush into her neck and down his chest, filling up every space inside her. In a few seconds, David pulls the syringe out and Maria's hand involuntarily puts pressure on the hole the syringe left behind. She felt a little bit of blood coming out but it coagulated quickly. However, it didn't ease her anxiety from what David injected her with.

"What did you do to me?"

She regretted asking him that when David smiled at her wickedly. She didn't think any being was possible to do that except in movies but she was proven wrong.

"I told you . . . I'm not leaving here empty-handed. The ship is taking too much damage and with your friends coming . . . I can't wait for the fetus to deliver itself so I gave you something to induce you to labor."

When she heard that last part, her heart immediately quickens its pace. Induce her to labor? She wasn't even supposed to have her baby until another two weeks. Maria was about to yell out in anger until something stopped her in an instant. Her abdomen muscles suddenly clamped together like someone was putting a vise grip around her torso. Next, she felt the baby kick even harder than before and it caused her to yelp in pain. Her whole body started to hurt, particularly in her lower stomach and between her legs. Now, Maria knew that David had indeed was telling the truth.

She hisses at him but it was mostly due to the pain than anger. "How . . . dare you."

David smirks. "Your friends forced me into this mess. I'm going to have that fetus whether you like it or not."

Both of them stared into the other's eyes, showing their intentions clearly with Maria refusing to give the child up while David was willing to take it away from her. Another wave of contractions rushed through her, forcing Maria to lower her head until her chin rested on her chest with her eyes squinted together to endure this.

But then, out of nowhere, she hears a roar from far away and the next thing she sees, David was not in front of her anymore and instead was thrown into the air. He hits the wall so hard that it left a massive dent in the shape of David's body. But it mattered little to Maria as she looked up, seeing the familiar red stripes that she longed to see again.

"Za'taan . . ."

She watches unhook his mask and drops it to the ground with a loud thud. His red eyes glowed . . . burned with worry and relief all mixed. He kneels to her side and wraps his arms around her tightly but only enough to feel every part of her body.

"**Maria. You're alright."**

She nods, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I'm alright."

But the moment disappeared when another contraction comes along. She cries, pulling away from him as her hands involuntarily grip on her belly. Za'taan sees this and calls to her in worry.

"**Maria. What's wrong?"**

Maria tried to answer him but the pain was too much. She closes her eyes tightly once more, whimpering in the hopes that it would go away. She feels Za'taan shaking her shoulders gently.

"**Maria. Tell me."**

"It . . . was Walter."

Both of them turn to see it was Ana that had answered, laying next to her with Raith to which she didn't notice until now. She watches Raith hold on to her, clicking his mandibles erratically to which indicated he was in distress. Za'taan growls in response.

"**What do you mean Walter?"**

Ana struggles to speak. "He's . . . injected her . . . to induce labor. He . . . wants the baby."

"**What?"**

Maria saw that Za'taan was in disbelief. He turns his head to David who was starting to get back on his feet, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. Immediately, Raith stood up fast and took a few steps towards him like an angry elephant. Maria can sense that he wasn't happy at all. Za'taan does the same so both Yautjas stood tall between them while Ana began to claw over to Maria's side. While that was going on, David raised his hands as if he couldn't believe that he was being accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I merely just—"

"**Don't you bullshit us!?"**

Surprisingly, Raith roared in his direction, opening his mandibles wide open. **"You're the mastermind in all of this! You're the one I saw that day when our mothers were killed!"**

Maria couldn't believe what she heard Raith say. She knew very little about Za'taan and Raith's mother and how they were killed in the first place. Za'taan only told that his mother was accidentally killed by the Maigu Clan. But this . . . was news to her. She glanced at Za'taan to see if he had any idea but he looked just as shocked as her. David began to chuckle, shaking his head in the process.

"So . . ." He points to Raith. "You're the pup that belonged to that pathetic female Yautja. I guess you found out then."

Raith growls. **"I . . . will make you pay for what you've done."**

"You think so? Your mother was a fool for trusting an ooman, even one that was synthetic. I played her like a guitar string and I thanked her for being an idiot."

Maria saw that Raith couldn't take it anymore and tries to call out for him. But it was too late as Raith rushed towards David with his knife out, ready to strike him down. But just as he was about two feet away, David dodges to the side and swung his leg high, hitting Raith in the stomach and causing him to drop his knife Raith goes down like a ton of bricks as he skids across the floor. David wasn't done yet as he took a small metal ball out of his pocket, throwing it at Raith. Maria feared that it was a bomb but about midway, the ball pops open to reveal a wide, metal web that was big enough for a Yautja. It works like a charm and gets Raith straight on, sending both of them to the wall behind them. When it got settled, Raith violently thrashes around to break free but the net held strong on the wall.

David chuckles. "Be a good Yautja and stay there. I'll deal with you later."

Maria watches David turn around to face Za'taan this time. He smiles and if it wasn't for another contraction, she would have screamed at him like a maniac. But with Za'taan's reaction afterward, it probably wasn't necessary.

"**What have you done, Walter!?"**

David huffed. "My name is David . . . not Walter. I swear you look dumber than you appear to be."

Za'taan roars once more. **"I don't give a pauk (fuck) what your name is! You hurt Maria and my pup! You'll pay for what you've done."**

"Then come here and make me."

Those words are what sent Za'taan over the edge. He runs towards David with his wrist blades out. Maria watched as Za'taan charged at him like an angry rhino but she feared it would be the same thing as Raith. Her heart starts to strain from the whole situation. Za'taan jumps high into the air and comes down on David with his wrist blades bent on ripping him apart. As soon as the blades were about inches from their target, David moves inches to the side so the blades cut into his shoulder and down his side. He grunts but as soon as Za'taan lands, David takes his hands and grips Za'taan's arm. With little effort, David throws Za'taan over his head and slams him on his back. Za'taan roars in agony and it caused her heart to break. She yells but is cut off when a contraction hits her . . . worse than before and she could tell they were getting shorter and shorter by the minute. She whimpers in fear, not knowing what's going to happen if she does deliver too soon.

But her attention returns to Za'taan who was lying on the ground, grunting in pain and unable to move. She sees David walked over to him and press his foot in the middle of his chest. Za'taan roars and tries to claw at him but David pulls out two small knives, plunging one in each palm. The agonizing cry that came out of Za'taan's mouth stabbed into Maria's heart once more. He can't give up now . . . He just can't . . .

"Don't take me for a weakling. I'm stronger than the average ooman you have faced."

David stands over Za'taan who was struggling to get his hands free but the knives wouldn't budge. They were too dug up into the floor to be pulled out easily. Just as Maria was about to call for Za'taan, she saw David turned his gaze towards her with no expression on his face. But after a few moments, a smirk started to form on his lips. Maria didn't like where this was going and her worst fears were soon realized when he spoke while looking down at Za'taan.

"I have to thank you for fucking Maria. You proved very useful but I don't need you anymore. And since you're the type who won't give up on tracking us down when we leave . . ." David pulls out another knife identical to the ones that he used to pin Za'taan. ". . . I need to make sure that doesn't happen."

He points it right in the middle of Za'taan's chest. Everything around Maria stopped when David held the knife high and look at her one last time. "Time to end it all."

David looks back to Za'taan and lets the knife fall towards him to make the fatal blow.

"NO!"

Maria cries with all her might, unable to comprehend what was happening. She can't watch Za'taan die! She needs to save him! Maria tries to get up but it was futile and even if she did, she wouldn't make it. It was like a knife was going in slow motion as she watched it come closer to him. Was this how it all ended? After everything, she had been through? It was like someone from above was laughing at her . . . for letting all of this happen. And for a moment, she wished that he would take her instead of him.

But all of a sudden, David is tackled by something and the knife comes to a halt while both bodies stumble a few feet away from Za'taan when a blast shook the ship. It took a few seconds to get her mind snapped out of it and see that it was Ana who did it. She looks to her side, making sure she wasn't hallucinating but her friend wasn't by her side anymore. Maria looks back and gasped in horror as Ana wrapped one arm around David's body while the other grabbed onto the wrist that held the knife. She sees David glared at Ana as he tried to shake her off.

"You bitch! Get off of me!"

He shakes her again but Ana doesn't budge. David tries something else and pulls out the master control. He presses it and Ana screams. But this time, Ana doesn't relent and keeps a firm grip on him. David grunts in frustration and presses the button once more. Ana screams but doesn't let go once more. Maria can see the pain in Ana's eyes but her friend looks at her with sad eyes. At first, Maria doesn't understand why Ana would look at her like that until she spoke to David.

"I won't let you hurt my friends anymore. I'm tired of not being able to protect anyone I love while everyone does the same. I'm done."

Right then and there, Ana quickly takes an arm off from his waist and reaches into her pocket. She then pulls out something small that she couldn't quite make out what it was. But Raith had some idea because after she shows it to everyone, Raith roars without hesitation.

"**Don't do it, Ana! Don't use it!"**

Maria looks over to Raith who was thrashing more erratically against the rope. Za'taan was doing the same and was loosening the knives from the floor but caused more green neon blood to start flowing over the ground. Maria didn't understand what Ana was trying to do but she knew it must be serious if both Za'taan and Raith were panicking about it.

"What is that?"

Maria directed to Ana but she doesn't answer and instead, Za'taan does the honors. **"Don't activate that self-destruct device! It's not worth it!"**

The words 'self-destruct' instantaneously sent Maria's mind into a frantic. Her eyes widened as she turned back to Maria. Does she mean she'll . . .? In an instant, Maria screams in horror.

"Ana!"

All she got from her friend as a small, sincere smile that showed remorse for some reason. Maria watched as David thrashes once more to get Ana off of him. "You bitch! You'll kill us both!"

Ana's arm wraps back around David to keep her grip on him while still holding the device. Maria saw her thumb move up the device and hold itself over a small button. Maria couldn't believe what she was seeing. Does she intend on killing herself along with David? Maria couldn't handle seeing another loved one die in front of her. It was the same time when Maria saw her mother die as well. History was repeating itself and like before, she was helpless to do anything.

"Ana . . . please."

Maria pleas through the tears that were starting to drip from her eyes. It was due to a mix of pain from a stronger contraction and the thought that Ana would sacrifice herself to save them. She watched as Ana stares, letting a big smile on her lips.

"You sacrificed everything for me, Maria. You're my best friend and I cannot bear to stand by while you suffer again. You protected me more times than I can count. And now . . ."

Ana glances back to the device, observing it one more time before turning her gaze back and smiles while closing her eyes. "I can do the same for you."

She turns back to face David and the sheer look of horror in his eyes confirmed that this was happening. He thrashes once more along with Raith who was roaring in agony. She watches Ana turn to speak to him.

"And Raith . . . thank you for loving me. I will never forget it."

Raith calls to her, letting out a sorrowful purr. **"Ana . . ."**

She smiles at him before turning her gaze up into the air. "Goodbye."

All of the time stood in slow motion as Maria screamed with all her might, trying to plea to Ana not to do it but it was too late. Before anyone could stop it, Ana presses on the button and a flash grows between David and Ana. David screams in defiance and anger but it fades with the sound of the explosion. The last thing Maria sees is a tear slowly falling down her cheek, letting it drop to the floor until the light finally consumes them.

**Hi Readers!**

**This . . . was a hard and intense chapter to write. So many things going on that I almost got lost in it. But I hope everyone loves it . . . probably until the end and you know why. **

**But what a dick Walter/David is. If some have watched the aliens movie, David was a cocky bastard. I hated him since the beginning and he needed to go . . . but not without taking someone with him, which is always sad in these types of stories.**

**The biggest thing is seeing Ana sacrificing herself to save Maria and everyone else. She is somewhat right that Ana has been protected all the time by Raith, Za'taan and even Maria and I think that she knew that this had to be done. Although she probably wanted to live, Ana knew to do the right thing . . . even if it means death. Now, Raith has to deal with the aftermath of all this along with Maria. They had lost a dear friend and lover. But they have more problems to deal with, especially that Maria had been forced to go into labor when it's too early to do so. **

**Will the baby survive? Will Maria survive? How will they get out of a ship that's being bombarded into smithereens? What will Raith do now that Ana is gone? So sad . . . :( **

**How will this all end?**

**Find out when the last chapter comes next Wednesday or Thursday (9/18-9/19). :)))**

**And let's go hunting! :D **

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Mariah, and NeverNeverLady for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Thank you for all the support and corrections :)**

**For Anonymous-E, I am thinking of doing one chapter where he teaches to dance with the music to the Yautja female. It would be pretty cool unless you don't like it. Let me know what you think. **

**And for Mariah, a lot is going on and so many questions to answer in the final chapter. Hope you have a safe cruise :)**

**Thank you and enjoy! :)))) **


	23. Chapter 23 (End to Beginning Part 1)

Chapter 23: End to Beginning (Part 1)

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

The light envelops Maria's senses enough that she couldn't see Ana or David anymore and had to use her arm as a shield. Just when she thought that the blast would stretch to her, it immediately sucks itself back in. Confused, Maria slowly lowers her arm and blinks her eyes open. When she did, her mind couldn't comprehend what she saw or rather didn't want to. There was only a crater that replaced David and Ana with its edges smoking from the heat the blast left behind. There was nothing remaining of Ana at all . . . not even the burning smell of flesh and blood.

She knew . . . Ana was gone.

Maria let out a horrible scream when her mind finally got the message despite her attempts to think otherwise. A whole flood of tears ran down both sides of her face as she cried . . . and cried until she needed to catch a break. She didn't understand why this was happening to her. She had lost her parents, watching one get ripped into shreds while the other was suffering and she had no choice but to put her down. Now . . . her best friend was obliterated into nothing . . . all to protect her. She felt sick to the stomach just thinking about it. It was too much.

She hears another cry but less ooman and more of an animal mourning in a loss. Maria sees it was Raith who had thrown his head to the ceiling and let out the cry once more. His mandibles stretched so far from his face that they looked like hands rather than tusks. As for Za'taan, he began growling fiercely in rage and that was enough to pry the knives out of his palms. They fly so hard that they stuck to the ceiling with such force. He looks over to the crater, lowering his head before scrambling to Raith, taking a knife out to cut the wires and eventually freeing him. Once that was done, Za'taan wasted no time to get on his feet and run to Maria's side.

"**Maria. Are you alright?"**

His arms wrap over her arms but it gave little comfort to Maria. The tears kept on coming and she thought that her eyes would dry up eventually. Yearning for Za'taan's touch and smelling the cinnamon off of him, she pressed her face into his chest and let out the remaining cries she had left. It only lasted a few more moments before Za'taan called to her.

"**Maria. I'm so sorry."**

She felt his chin rest on top of her head gently, purring in the hopes of helping her. It did in a small way but she wished that she would wake up and that all of this was a dream. But the moment ended when a sudden blast hits the ship, more powerful than the last. The metal floor shook violently that Maria had to cling on Za'taan as tightly as her weakened body could until it stopped. However, the shake was followed by pounding from the closed door that led to the rest of the ship. Maria gasped and Za'taan growled when the voices started up.

"Weyland! Sir! What's going on!?"

Maria feared that it was the rest of the soldiers trying to get in. No one said anything in response, hoping that they would abandon it but they were persistent, banging on the door once more.

"Sir! Are you in there!? Sir!"

She heard a frustrating grunt and then a command. "You two! Open this door!"

Maria's heart beats fast when she saw sparks coming through the hinges of the door, telling that the soldiers are beginning to break in. Another blast hits the ship and all of them had to hold on for dear life until it subsided. Za'taan pulls his head back for his red eyes to look at her.

"**We need to get out of here. This ship won't last much longer."**

Za'taan tries to lift Maria into his arms but right as he was raising her, Maria screamed in pain as a contraction flows into her once more. It was becoming more unbearable, losing less time in between to recover. Za'taan lets her down slowly but she could feel his muscles tense as his eyes showed worry in them.

"**What is it, Maria? Are you hurt?"**

She grunts. "No . . . it's . . ."

But she screams again, throwing her head up so fast that part of it slammed into the wall she was resting on. She hears Za'taan's voice call to her with such anxiety, forcing her to look back through dazed eyes.

"**Maria!"**

"**C'jit (shit). She's in labor."**

Raith's voice calls out behind them as Za'taan and Maria glance at him. Maria saw the look of despair in not only his eyes but the rest of his body showed. His fists tightened so hard that began to bleed while his feet dug into the metal sandals. He looked more angry than sad but Maria knew he was mourning. After all, he had lost his mate to a mad man and con artist of all things. Despite it, she knew that Raith would push it aside to deal with the situation they were in now. However . . . Za'taan had a harder time with it.

"**What!? What do you mean she's in labor!?"**

He roared more in shock about what he was saying. Pushing through the pain of her muscles contracting, Maria grabs onto Za'taan's wrist, gaining his attention.

"David . . . He . . . injected me with . . . something to . . . get me to . . . deliver the baby."

"**Are you pauking (fucking) serious?"**

She could see that he wanted a different answer but she shook her head up and down but snaps back, grinding her teeth to brace another contraction. But then, more banging came from the door and all of them saw the sparks almost reaching the end of the door. The oomans were about to break in and Maria feared what might happen.

Raith comes closer to Za'taan and Maria, stopping a few feet away. **"We don't have much time. We can't move Maria while she's like this and we can't go through the way we came in."**

Raith points to the small hole in the wall, revealing where Za'taan and Raith came in but was now blocked with several rocks that had fallen apart from the blasts. Za'taan growls in frustration.

"**Then what do we do?"**

**"You will help her deliver the pup while I'll buy you some time. Either way, the oomans are going to breakthrough."**

Just as Raith said that he turns his back on them while pulling out his wrist blades, sharpening them to a point by grinding them together before spreading them out to the sides. Maria watches as Za'taan calls to Raith.

"**Are you sure you can handle them?"**

Raith didn't answer right away and stops in front of the door, watching the last spark die-off followed by the oomans pushing on the door that was about to collapse. Then Raith turns his head to the side and leers with clear anger and hatred in his eyes.

"**I'm sure. I've all the anger in the world to kill them all. Now, go!"**

Just as he said that the door finally flies off from the wall and Raith uses the dust from the impact as cover, charging into the row of oomans soldiers that started to appear with guns loaded. His roar was so ferocious that it would have made any Yautja jealous of his strength. The soldiers were oblivious to what had attacked them and so bullets were flying everywhere but somehow managed to miss Za'taan and Maria.

Maria watched in sadness, seeing Raith slash each ooman like butter but in reality, she could feel his despair flow into her, making her heart feel even heavier than it already was. But soon, another powerful contraction hits her, forcing her mouth open for a scream. It startled Za'taan as he came to her side while purring.

"**Maria. Hold on."**

Instinctually, Maria reaches to grab his hand over hers, gripping it with all the strength she had. But then, she had the urge to push and it frightened her inside. This can't happen right now! She can't have her pup now! It's too early! But no matter what Maria thought, she couldn't push back the urge anymore. She scoots her body around until she was able to get her legs spread out in front of her, ripping into the middle of her bottoms to let the baby come out. She saw the concern in Za'taan's red eyes and wished she could ease him. Another contraction comes and Maria throws her head back, screaming until her lungs were starting to burn, which were already struggling to give her oxygen.

"**Maria!"**

Za'taan calls for her again as she brought her head back forward to look deeply into his eyes. He looked so clueless as to what he should do. Maria pushed through the pain and spoke weakly.

"Za'taan . . . you need to . . . help me."

He twitches his mandibles in confusion. **"How?"**

"The baby is . . . coming. You need to . . . make sure . . . to catch it and—"

She screams once more from a contraction that went through her core and up to her lower stomach. She felt hot liquid seeping out between her legs. Maria leans over to see blood flowing out of her. She began to panic, thinking that it was a bad sign but the contractions kept coming. She feels Za'taan let go of her hand and move until he was in front of her legs. When he did, Maria saw his eyes widened but couldn't tell if it was because of shock, fear, or awe. Maybe a mixture of all three . . .

"What is it?"

It took a few seconds for him to blink his eyes and look back to her, widening his mandibles slightly along with his inner mouth, looking shocked.

"**I think . . . I see its head."**

When she heard him say that, Maria tries to lean over once more. She didn't have a great view but saw the top of something round and bloody. Her heart began to pound in shock but it didn't last long with another contraction hitting every muscle in her body. The urge to push was too much and she couldn't fight it anymore. Her hands wrap underneath her knees and she pulled, widening her legs even more until she began to push . . . again and again.

Every time she did, the pain would reach a new height that she didn't she was capable of taking. Her chin presses hard on her chest as she screamed with all her might. Between breaks, she would look towards Za'taan, seeing his beautiful red eyes and smelling the cinnamon. Both gave her an unbelievable strength to keep on going, feeling something slowly moving out of her core.

But after a few times pushing, her body was starting to give up and she could tell when her vision started to blur in and out of focus. The purrs from Za'taan was the only thing keeping her awake until she heard him say the words she thought would never come.

"**It's coming!"**

Maria felt one more contraction coming and she used it to give the biggest push she ever gave. She throws her head high into the air and screams until she heard a small cry . . . a baby cry.

Instinctually, she flops her head back down and saw the most beautiful sight. Za'taan was holding a small creature in his arms that was no bigger than the length of his forearm. The baby was covered in fluids and blood but still crying loud and clear. Za'taan's eyes were dazed on the baby like he was caught in a trance. Like him, her eyes follow down until she saw her son curled next to his father. In general, he looked like the size of an ooman baby and even had the tan skin color as his mother but with some parts like his elbows and knees covered in small scales and his arms were covered with red stripes like Za'taan. For the rest, he had four sets of mandibles along with a protruding head like a Yautja would have but when her son opened his eyes and looked at her, she gasped in awe. They had a color that was a mix of brown and red entwining each other. It was like there were flames in his eyes, burning with so much life.

Maria couldn't stop herself from crying a few tears. She looks a few more seconds at her son before her eyes met Za'taan's at the same time. She smiles weakly at him as he did the same.

"He's . . . beautiful."

Za'taan nods at her. **"He is. And strong too."**

Maria reaches out to them but they were trembling immensely. They were so weak that she didn't know how long she could hold them up but she didn't care. "Let me see him."

Without hesitation, Za'taan scoots over gently while holding their son. Once he got to her side, he slowly moves their son over to Maria but keeps a hold on him just in case. She reaches with one hand and grazes over her son's cheek, ignoring the stains of blood getting on her and feeling his smooth, warm skin over hers. More tears fell from her face while her lips tightened together. She glances at Za'taan and giggles weakly. He purrs in joy and it was such a sweet sound in her ears and even to their son who cooed in response.

But all of a sudden, Maria felt her vision slipping from her and the strength in her arms suddenly disappear. Her head lowers to the side and the last thing she heard and saw was Za'taan roaring for her to stay with him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Za'taan's POV]

"**Maria! Maria! Stay with me!"**

Despite his pleas and their son's cry for her, he saw her body slump to the side. He reached his arm out to stop her from falling, keeping her upper half up. Instinctually, he presses his hand on her neck and took a sigh of relief when there was a faint heartbeat, meaning she was still alive. She must have fainted from the stress of everything on top of giving birth. He glances towards his son that was clawing his small fingers on him. Compared to Yautja pups, he was considerably smaller to standards but it mattered little. He was their son and Za'taan wouldn't have it any other way. Right now, he needed to focus on Maria and make sure she was alright.

But in an instant, Za'taan stopped to listen around him. The gunshots and the blasts on the ship stopped, making the room eerily quieter than before except the alarms still going off. He didn't notice it before due to focusing on Maria and the birth. It was an alarm bell for Za'taan since that means something has changed. He turned his head around to see where Raith was but jumped when he was already by his side.

"_We need to leave, Za'taan. The oomans are retreating from the ship. Looks like our clan is ready to blow the entire thing into pieces."_

Za'taan's eyes widen in shock from the news. _"Are you sure?"_

"_Yes. I killed most of them but their communications alerted them of an imminent explosion from our ship. Guess our brethren got tired of blasting the ship." _

Za'taan grunts in anger at his clan members but at the same time, he understood why the situation was like this. With their father dead and no active leader taking command, the rest of the clan would agree together on what the right course of action is. But then again, Yautjas is well known to lose their temper easily, especially when a clan leader is murdered in cold blood . . . so a clan without a leader in these conditions is quite dangerous.

"_How's Maria? And the pup?"_

Raith asked him bluntly and Za'taan turns his body to show his son in his arms, still crying a little for his mother. He saw Raith's reaction as one being a mix of wonder and shock but it only lasted a few seconds when he turns his attention to the unconscious Maria.

"_Is she . . .?"_

Za'taan growls deeply. _"She's only passed out but she's very weak. If what you say is true, then we need to go now."_

Without wasting any more time, Za'taan rips a small piece from his loincloth . . . the only he could think of using to wrap his son to keep him warm and safe. He then takes Maria and gently throws her over his shoulder. He didn't like to carry her like that but he had no choice. Raith comes to his side.

"_Do you need me to carry her?"_

"_No. I need you to protect us while we head to the pods. In case more oomans try to stop us."_

Raith nods his head. _"Understood."_

As soon as Za'taan made sure Maria and their son are firmly secured on him, both of them darted out of there as fast as they could. Za'taan noticed the bodies littered everywhere as they left the room along with lots of splattered blood everywhere . . . a display of Raith's rage for Ana's death. He didn't even want to know how much Raith was feeling but he did understand that pain when he lost his mother but tried to not imagine if Maria was the one who died. He could relate to that . . .

Za'taan and Raith ran through mazes of hallways and doors that were made worse with all the debris from the blasts and the ooman bodies left to be destroyed. It disgusted him that oomans can be capable of such an act. He felt better when he saw the open door that leads to the loading docks, seeing that the pods were still there and untampered. He did smaller ooman ships taking off from the docks but others weren't so fortunate. One was blasted completely into dust while some were half blown with dead oomans hanging from the pilot seat. It was utter destruction.

Za'taan got to his pod first and called to Raith. _"Help me get Maria in."_

Raith nodded and grabbed Maria's limp body from Za'taan's shoulder. Once Maria was in safe hands, Za'taan holds their son tightly to him as he jumped onto the pod, settling into the seat with his son next to him. He nods to Raith, giving him the signal to hand him Maria. With careful handling, Raith places Maria on Za'taan's lap so she was cradled like a child on him.

"_Get into your pod, Raith."_

"_You got it."_

He watched Raith jump off the pod and race over to his own, which was only a few feet away. As Raith was getting in, Za'taan maneuvered around Maria to press on the panel to get the pod going for takeoff. It was hard with Maria's limp arms getting into the way but Za'taan managed, hearing the relieving sound of the pod's engine ramping up. He glances over to see Raith had his already going and with a small nod to each other, both pods lift from the ground until they were in the air. Za'taan presses hard on the panel and in no time at all, the pod blasts forward and out into the open with Raith following behind.

It was just in time as Za'taan saw the front of their ship opening up to reveal a massive cannon slowly protruding out. Za'taan had only seen it once being used when their clan had to destroy a planet when a horde of _kainde amedha_ overpowered the Young Bloods during their hunt and one was unable to activate a self-destruct device in time. This cannon had enough power to destroy a small planet so he could only imagine how it will destroy an ooman ship half the size of their own.

"_Raith! We need to go faster! They're about to release it!"_

Right as he said that, a blue light started to emerge from the cannon, indicating that it was loading and about to fire at the ship. They needed to get out of the blast radius, which wasn't much since they were in space, making the radius much smaller than it actually would be if launched onto a planet.

Za'taan increases the pod's speed and the thrust from the sudden change almost made Maria's head slam onto his chest plate. He puts the flat part of his arm between to cushion the blow. For his son, he curled his arm closer to his body to ensure he doesn't go flying but causes his son to cry in fear. Za'taan does what he can to relax his son, purring loudly in which did the trick to calm him, even if only for a short time.

Just as Raith and Za'taan made it out of there, the cannon goes off and the blast shoots right into the middle of the ship. It disappears out of view before a speck of light is seen. The next thing they knew, the ooman ship is engulfed by a massive blue light that lasted for a few moments before slowly dying. The force of the blast could still be felt as the pod started to shake a little but not enough to disturb his son or Maria.

There wasn't much left of the ship at all . . . not even a few pieces of metal left behind. Za'taan didn't expect anything less and was glad the ship was gone. He had enough of Weyland and the oomans he commands and hopes it would be the end of it.

But then, he hears Raith's voice coming through the communications.

"_Za'taan?"_

He grunts. _"What is it?"_

There was a long pause before Raith finally spoke. _"What do we do with Maria and your son?"_

Za'taan didn't like the tone Raith was giving. It was like a mix of concern and uneasiness. _"What do you mean?"_

"_Well . . . with everything that has happened with Du'rout and the mess that the oomans have caused . . . I'm not sure if it's safe to return to the clan with them. They will most likely kick them out and question your legitimacy to become Clan Leader. Everything is in disarray." _

Za'taan wanted to argue strongly at Raith's statement but he knew it rang true. The clan wouldn't accept them back. The only reason Maria was even allowed into their clan in the first place was that she received the mark of the Blooded along with Du'rout's protection. Without the latter, it wouldn't matter if she was blooded or not, especially since she had given birth to their son, who was considered a hybrid and impure. Za'taan closes his eyes, taking a slow, deep breath to process all of this.

"_So what do you suggest?"_

He heard him groan in frustration through the communications. _"I don't know . . . But I won't put Maria and your son in danger. I've already lost Ana and I don't want you to feel the same . . . or to anyone."_

Za'taan suddenly heard a sound that reminded him of a whimper . . . a sorrowful cry of a Yautja that is rarely heard. It would be shown as a disgrace if any would display such emotion in public. It would be absolute humiliation for any Yautja but right now, he didn't see it as a weakness. All it showed to Za'taan was how much pain Raith was enduring from losing a mate. He stayed silent, hearing the sound over and over again until a few moments passed when he heard Raith take a deep breath, calming himself down enough to speak again.

"_Either way, we need to find a place for all of you . . . at least until it's safe again."_

Za'taan didn't say anything after that, letting the communications stay silent for some time. He lowers his gaze towards Maria who was still unconscious and then turns to his son who somehow managed to fall asleep as well. He was surrounded by his family and felt some happiness in that brief moment before his mind turns to the matter at hand. What should they do now?

Za'taan looks forward and towards the ship that was floating in space, watching it eerily as they moved closer to it. The future . . . in Za'taan's mind . . . was still uncertain.

**Hi Readers!**

**A little detour in the last chapter. I felt it best to split it into two parts so that it helps to flow the story a little better instead of trying to fit it all together into one chapter. But Part 2 will be posted at the same time so don't worry about a thing. ;)**

**So . . . Ana is dead and it brought much sorrow not just for Maria but also Raith. I mean . . . he went on a rampage on the soldiers trying to break in and then the sorrowful mourning in his pod that even Za'taan can feel for.**

**But some good news . . . Maria gave birth to a healthy son and one that mostly has Za'taan's traits with a little bit of Maria's in his eyes and skin. He's going to be a strong warrior that is for sure. **

**But another dark cloud overshadows then that Raith did make a point. The Uhri Clan would be really angry and would try to do something to Maria and their son with no Clan Leader in place and also might question Za'taan's succession.**

**What will happen to them now? What will the future hold?**

**Find out in Chapter 24 . . . Part 2 of the end for **_**Endurance.**_

**P.S. Comments on last week's reviews will be on Part 2 :) **


	24. Chapter 24 (End to Beginning Part 2)

Chapter 23: End to Beginning (Part 2)

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.**_

[Years later . . .]

[Raith's POV]

Raith keeps his chest and head held high along with his red cape gliding through the air as he walked through the hallways of the ship with a bunch of Yautjas conversing with each other. As soon as they turn their faces and see him coming, they drop their heads and cross their arms in respect. Raith merely nods his head from side to side so they knew he acknowledged them. It was getting quite boring for him but necessary trouble. Still, he couldn't help but grunt in annoyance to himself, dealing with this after everything he went through.

Soon, he reached the door leading to the meeting room with two guards standing strong, taking their jobs seriously. Raith stops a few feet away, addressing the guards with a strong voice.

"_Open the doors."_

The guards nodded their heads without hesitation, bowing in the same way as the others have done in the hallways.

"_Yes, my Clan Leader."_

The move to the side and the door begins to creak open. Raith waits until it was fully opened before stepping forward, keeping his eyes straight forward as he passed through the threshold and hearing the door close behind him. The room was the same as before with a small tweak made when Raith took over. The throne was no longer on top of a stack of stairs but on the floor, which bothered Raith a lot since it didn't truly represent what a Clan Leader should be . . . not above their clan but with them. Other than that, everything else didn't change.

As he walked over to the chair, he saw P'kath, his second-in-command, conversing with other Yautjas about some little matter about what planets they should hunt . . . what prey is valuable and many more things. But the conversation quickly ended when they heard Raith's footsteps as he came closer. The other Yautjas bowed their heads and moved away, exiting the room as they shut the door behind them with only P'kath in his presence. He needed to talk to him alone so the other Yautjas knew they needed to leave. Raith stopped a few feet in front of him as P'kath bowed his head.

"_My lord, Raith. You wanted to speak to me."_

Raith nodded. _"Yes. It's an urgent matter." _He holds his hand towards an empty chair next to his own. _"Take a seat."_

P'kath bowed once more but waited until Raith sat first as it was customary to wait until the Clan Leader does. Raith waits as P'kath moves to sit down, making himself comfortable until addressing the matters at hand.

"_What is the urgent matter you wanted to discuss?"_

Raith raised his hand to stop P'kath. _"Let's deal with yours first. Mine will take longer and I want to take care of the first before we delve into the latter."_

P'kath nodded. _"Of course, my Lord." _

He brings his wrist gauntlet forward, pressing on the controls that activated the small hologram in the middle of the table in the center of the room Both of them were pretty far away but the hologram is huge enough for Raith to see. It fuzzes for a bit before pulling up Yautja symbols that he knew was a message.

"_So . . . Vau-Thigi wanted to deliver this to you."_

Raith leers at the hologram. _"And what does it say?"_

P'kath cleared his throat before continuing. _"He explains his deep regret for causing you trouble a few years ago. He begs for your forgiveness and wishes to return to the clan to prove his loyalty to you."_

Raith grumbled in annoyance and for good reason. A few years ago . . . after returning to the ship, the clan was in disarray and the question of who would be the next Clan Leader remained open and in the air, especially with Za'taan's disappearance. A civil battle ensued with fights going for more than a year until it was becoming clear that Vau-Thigi was the strongest warrior. Raith saw how arrogant and drunk in power Vau-Thigi was, worrying him beyond anything. After a few more weeks, Raith had enough and decided to put him in his place. A massive fight raged between him and Vau-Thigi but in the end, Raith proved victorious, humiliating Vau-Thigi even more after the fact he was defeated by a low-level Yautja like himself. Despite that, Raith eventually was declared the new Clan Leader but Vau-Thigi still couldn't accept it. He began to cause problems like tampering with security, bullying the Young Bloods and such. It went too far when he messed us the fuel for the ship, hoping to only make a mess of things. Instead, it almost blew the whole ship up. Raith had no other option but to banish him from the clan, abandoning him on a hostile planet with some of the most dangerous prey that is known to Yautja society.

Raith guessed that Vau-Thigi grew tired of it or was becoming too weak to keep up with killing prey after prey. The words in his message conveyed some regret but Raith was unsure if he truly was. He presses his chin on his hand, closing his eyes to think about how he should respond . . . or not at all and let him rot for another few years. The latter is typical for Yautja behavior and might punish Vau-Thigi even more. But as he thought more, the sweet giggle of Ana's voice called to him and somehow, he could see her smiling. Raith knew that Ana would tell him to forgive him and offer him a chance to prove his words are true. She would have wanted it . . .

Raith sighs, opening his eyes as he pulled his head up. _"Very well. Tell him that if he wishes to beg for my forgiveness, let him show it to me in front of the entire clan. If he agrees, send a small ship to pick him up."_

P'kath nods. _"Yes, my Lord."_

He presses on his wrist gauntlet and converses with one of the guards at the door, giving him the exact orders Raith had provided. Raith heard a yes and the communications die after that as P'kath turns his attention back to him.

"_Is there anything else, P'kath?"_

"_No, my Lord."_

Raith sighs. _"Then let's talk about what I brought you here for."_

He leans back into his chair while scraping his claws on the metal arms of the chair. He could see it frightened P'kath a little, fearing that it might be something bad, which is wasn't at all. _"It's about Za'taan."_

P'kath nods his head. The fear in his eyes was gone, turning serious as he gave his entire focus on the matter. _"I think it's time."_

_"Are you sure, my Lord? I don't mean to question your judgment. I want to be sure that everything is in order."_

When he heard that, Raith growled in warning and P'kath lowered his head back in submission. At first, Raith wanted to reprimand P'kath for questioning him in the first place but after a few moments, he calms down. His body slacks back into his chair, rubbing his head a bit before looking back to P'kath with determination.

"_When I came back to the ship years ago, I vowed to Za'taan that I would make this a safe place again for him and his family to return. After all, he is still part of the Uhri Clan . . . and my brother."_

He paused, feeling his heart tremble when he knows what's coming next but he needed to let P'kath know this. _"And I promised to Ana's spirit that I would protect them with all my strength. She would have wanted them to be safe and happy. Understood?"_

P'kath nods without hesitation. _"Understood."_

With that, Raith stands up from his chair followed by P'kath who did the same. _"Prepare a ship for departure. Immediately."_

"_Yes, my Lord."_

P'kath bows with one arm crossed as Raith turns around to make his way to the loading docks.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Unknown POV]

A small, child-like kneels on the banks of the beach, twirling their fingers into the sand while making a doodle for fun. The being looks up to see the dark blue waves rise and fall in the distance, smelling the salt in the air that seemed all too familiar. Their eyes look up into the sky, noting the stars that can be seen very clearly even in the bright twin suns floating in the sky.

"**Ya'stih! Where are you?"**

The being turns around, seeing a Yautja coming out of the shade of the trees that outlined the jungle behind them. It wasn't until they saw the familiar red stripes and the smell of cinnamon that they knew who it was.

"**Coming, Father!"**

The boy jumps to his feet, scrambling in the deep sand to run as fast as possible to his father. As soon as he was a couple of feet away, Ya'stih leaps in the air with his arms spread out until he circles them halfway around his father's chest. His father's dreadlocks drape over him like curtains while his own, smaller ones slap around in between their bodies. He nuzzles his mandibles on his father, letting out a small purr that sounded like a kitten's as he felt two massive arms wrap around him.

"Ya'stih!"

He hears a softer voice call to him with a tiny bit of urgency. His father turns his head back and calls.

"**I found him. He's over here."**

Both of them turned when they saw the bushes shake and rattle. Soon, another person emerges and Ya'stih jumps off his father, running to his mother as her brown hair swept across her face. He loved her smile when she opened her arms to him as he jumped on her, seeing those beautiful brown eyes that reminded him of the trees.

"**Mother!"**

He heard her grunt in pain. "Careful, sweetie. You're getting too strong for me."

His mother pulls her head away as he does the same, smiling with his mandibles spread out. **"Not for Father!"**

His mother giggles. "Of course. But someday, you might be when you're older."

He heard his father grumble from behind. **"Do you think I'm weak, Maria?"**

"Only when you're too cocky. You should better watch out when the time comes, Za'taan."

All of them chuckled at the joke his mother made. Even his father gave in and smiled at them, observing them as Ya'stih's mother started to tickle him in the belly while holding him with one arm. It was his weak spot and sometimes wished that she didn't know about it. Eventually, she stopped when he was having a hard time catching his breath but it was a lot of fun . . . and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well . . . since we found you, all of us should be heading back home."

His mother starts to turn around into the direction of their home on the mountainside but then he heard his father call them.

"**Hold on a second."**

Ya'stih noticed his mother stopping in her tracks, turning back around to face his father while looking confused. "What is it?"

That is when Ya'stih saw his father playing around with his 'toy' he calls it. His father tried to explain it to him but it became so boring that he would not listen and run off to play. But judging on his father's face, he looked pretty serious. It wasn't until a few moments passed that his father turned off his 'toy' as he faced his mother.

"**We need to wait here."**

His mother tilted her head in confusion along with himself. "Why?"

It was then that Ya'stih saw his father's expression turn from seriousness to seeing a small smile forming from his mandibles and mouth. He had to tilt his head, trying to figure out why he was seeing this.

"**He's coming."**

Ya'stih was unsure as to what his father was talking about and even more so when his mother's eyes widened in shock and awe. "Really? Now?"

His father slowly nods. **"Now."**

Right as he said that, a huge gust of wind swept through the beach and kicked up a tornado of sand out of nowhere. Ya'stih had to press his face on his mother's shoulder, gripping his claws into her. He worried that she might push her away since the last time he did this, it left bloody bruises on her. But he was glad that his mother pressed him even closer, feeling her hand dig into his dreadlocks. The sensitivity of them made Ya'stih purr in comfort as the winds picked up even more.

But then he heard a rumbling sound that wasn't natural. It was more mechanical . . . and even loud. It was coming closer to them and the fear inside him began to grow until the winds started to die down. Ya'stih remained still and kept his eyes away, letting the sound tell him what was happening. He felt the ground shake even in his mother's arms followed by a big thud. After that, everything went silent.

Ya'stih's curiosity got the better of him and he slowly pulled his face away from his mother and turned to see a massive ship standing over the sand. It was the first time he'd ever seen a ship before and only heard about them from his parent's tales before his birth. He caught sight of a symbol on its side with a swirl pattern on it. He had seen it before and looks to his mother's cheek to find a replica. His father had told him about the Uhri Clan . . . his parent's clan . . . and how they were considered one of the strongest clans of Yautjas out there. There had been many times Ya'stih asked why he hasn't seen them nor why didn't they join them if they lived in space. His parents were vague and said that it was for their protection until the time came where they can return in peace. Now, he figures that the reactions he saw his mother and father give was a sign that this might be it.

Ya'stih watches as a Yautja along with another following behind were walking down the ramp and onto the sand. The one in the front had armor that made him far bigger than his father with a red cape attached to his shoulders and following behind on the ground. Upon getting closer, he noticed that the red-caped Yautja had a dreadlock that was split into two and it got his mind curious as to what happened to him. The other didn't have as much extravagant armor than the first but he still looked very impressive in his eyes.

Ya'stih pull his body closer to his mother as the two Yautjas stopped a few feet away from them. At first, it was silent between the Yautjas and his parents until he saw his father start smiling and then the caped one did the same.

"**Raith."**

"**Za'taan."**

He saw them bow their heads together in respect but Ya'stih can sense that they knew each other. Still, he was unsure about the whole situation and felt, even more, when his mother lowered him down until he was on his feet again. He holds on to his mother's leg as his father and the Yautja named Raith pulled away from each other.

"**It's good to see you again."**

Raith bows his head. **"It's good to see you as well. I hope all is well."**

"**They are. I probably know the answer but . . . what brings you here?"**

Ya'stih observes Raith as he turns to the Yautjas behind him and he nods. With that, Raith turns back to his father. **"I want to welcome you all back to the Uhri Clan."**

His father sighed. **"Are you sure it's safe now?"**

Raith nods in response. **"I made sure everything is in order. And since I'm Clan Leader now, they will welcome you with open arms. After all, we're family."**

He saw his father's face lit up in joy from what Raith had said. Ya'stih looks back to his mother and she had the same expression as well. But he turns back when he sees Raith glancing at his mother. Despite his nervousness, Ya'stih would do anything to protect his mother so he lets out a soft growl but not enough that anyone could have heard. Raith bows his head.

"**Hello, Maria. I'm glad you're doing well."**

His mother smiles. "Thank you, Raith. After everything you've done for us, I don't how to reciprocate back."

When she said that, Raith raised his hand while shaking his head back and forth. **"You don't owe me anything. Ana would have said the same as well . . . if she was in my shoes."**

All of a sudden, Ya'stih felt his mother's body tensed for a second and then relax but he couldn't help but feel a bit of sorrow flowing from her. Not much was said about what happened to his mother's best friend named Ana but he understood that it was somewhat painful when she talked about her. As much as he wanted to know, Ya'stih kept quiet about it, hoping that one day his parents would tell him.

But his attention is soon diverted when Raith turns his attention to himself. **"And who is this?"**

Instinctually, Ya'stih hid behind his mother's leg while holding on to her. He was still unsure of what to make of this Yautja. It's the first time he had seen another except his father. He peeked one eye to watch Raith drop to one knee until he was about the same height. He felt his mother's hand pat on his head and he looks up to her smiling face.

"It's alright, Ya'stih. He's a friend of ours. He won't hurt you."

When he heard the reassuring words of his mother, Ya'stih's fear started to dissipate, replaced by curiosity and intrigue. He starts to slowly pull his body forward but still held his mother's leg. Raith started to purr and then reached out his hand in a gentle manner.

"**Hello, Ya'stih. Don't be afraid."**

Ya'stih glances at his parents one more time, seeing that they didn't appear nervous or afraid. He looks back at Raith and with a burst of confidence, he pulls away from his mother and walks slowly towards Raith. It seemed like a long walk but it was only a few steps until he was right in front of Raith. He watches Raith drop his hand while his face comes closer to his. They stare at each other until Raith smiles.

"**It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Raith."**

Ya'stih stays silent, observing Raith for a bit before speaking out a bit. **"Hi . . . Nice . . . to meet you."**

He remembers his father teaching him about how to greet another Yautja of higher status. He hesitates for a bit, trying to make sure he does it right and lowers his head while crossing an arm over his chest. He straightens back up fast when he felt a soft hand land on top of its head. His eyes see that it was Raith who did it. Their eyes locked on each other and stay that way until Ya'stih couldn't help but smile, feeling safer with Raith as his parents watched them. Raith takes a deep sigh, looking at Ya'stih a bit more until he speaks, sensing that this . . . is just the beginning of a new journey.

"**Welcome home."**

**Hi Readers!**

**What an ending to a complex but amazing story. It's a bittersweet ending where Za'taan and Maria had raised their son, Ya'stih (mixed name of Ya'stu and I'stih lol) until it was time to return to the Uhri Clan.**

**And give props to Raith who had returned to the ship after the events of Part 1. Although he still missed Ana very much, I think he saw her as an inspiration to do the right thing and secure his place as Clan Leader so that he can let Za'taan, Maria, and Ya'stih back to the clan and their family. It's hard but Raith did what he could to bring them back. What an ending . . . befitting of the title for this chapter. It's the end of one story and the beginning of another. **

**I hope you all love this story and thank you all for supporting me in this journey.**

**Thank you very much! :))))))**

**UPDATE: So next week I'll be taking the week off to let my brain relax and gets things straightened at school and work. After that, **_**Metamorphosis**_** and **_**Nexus**_** will start back up on 10/7/19 (Wednesday - **_**Metamorphosis**_**) and 10/6/19 (Sunday - **_**Nexus**_**). The posting of chapters might change but will post an update on Instagram when it gets closer.**

**Keep up the good Hunt! ;)**

**P.S. Appreciation to Anonymous-E, Mariah, HuntressQueen22, and Guest for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Thank you for all the support and corrections :) **

**For Anonymous-E, I know some of those songs you posted for the sequel. I watched Fairy Tale for some time and I think the song is one that I tried to find on iTunes. Sucks since it's not easy to find foreign songs like that. I hope to hear more songs you requested.**

**Thank you and enjoy! :))))**


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